A Healing Touch
by Raven.Sappho
Summary: It is but a few weeks after the Final Battle and the Grimmaul place household is still a bit of a mess with our favourite two thirds of the Golden Trio, a mourning werewolf and his son, and a healing bat of the dungeons. What awaits the occupants of the house in the near future? Read and find out. Warning: Rated M for a reason as all my stories! HG/RL and HP/SS. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1 - The End, or a Beginning

**AN: My loyal and dearest followers, as promised a couple of weeks ago, here is a new story. It will hopefully be to your liking, but even if it's not, please let me know with a review if you have a moment to spare. As my studies are getting a bit crazy, I will be posting mostly once a week, twice if I have a free moment over the Easter holidays for you. Anywho, here it is, and I wish you happy reading to this introductory chapter.**

**Always,**

**Raven x**

* * *

Hermione sat in the dusty armchair at 12 Grimmauld place for the whole of 2 minutes, enjoying a moment of peace before a distraught baby cry shook her out of her lethargic thoughts. She stood up slowly, groaning as her body was begging her for some proper rest, and started on her way up to the third floor. The past weeks had been a complete hell. The final battle alone lasted almost 30 hours, with great losses on both sides of the field, but Voldemort finally went down along with his most trusted Death Eaters. It was a magnificent display and for a while she had worried about Harry's life, but when she saw the young man she considered a brother stand victorious, all in the world suddenly seemed brighter.

She leaned against the wall for a moment as she thought of all the lost lives. Mad Eye, Hagrid, Tonks, Professor Flitwick, Dean and Seamus, the Creevey brothers and not to mention the Weasley family. Molly was in tears most of the time after losing both of the twins to Dolohov and Ginny to Bellatrix Lestrange. Ron was dealing with the loss of his closest siblings in his own way, by enjoying his fame, distancing himself from his two best friends and finding comfort in none other than Lavender Brown. As much as Hermione couldn't stand the blond twit, she would not begrudge her old friend what he needed. They both knew their heated kiss when the battle was reaching its peak was merely a moment of desperate need to find reassurance in case something happened to them. There was no romantic love lost between them and for that she was grateful, for after thinking about it in the clear light of day Hermione realised they were simply not meant to be. Due to Ron's behaviour, their friendship was pretty much in tatters but she was glad to have had him in her life until that point. Harry had always been the one she followed and supported, and that would not change even now that the war was over. If Ron wished for his own path, they would both respect it.

Another distraught cry had her moving again as she contemplated how much longer she will be able to run on the cocktail of adrenaline and pepper-up potions. After the battle, she spent the first couple of days helping out Poppy in the hospital wing with the most critical cases as St. Mungo's was filled to capacity, only to return home in the evening to stay up most of the night as well. One thing she was grateful for though, and that was being at the right place and the right time not once, but twice. They witnessed Nagini bite Snape, tearing his throat open and filling his veins with deadly venom as they feared for the potion master's life. Once Voldemort disappeared, they moved quickly and cast complicated statis charms over the man's body to have at least the smallest of chances at saving his life. And were successful. If they stalled only a few moments later, the damage to his body could have been irreversible.

She surfaced from the memories when she reached her destination on the third floor, Remus' rooms. That had been their second lucky stunt that fateful night. Remus and his wife had been fighting valiantly side by side surrounded by Greyback's blood-thirsty pack, but there was simply too many of them to handle. They were too late to save Tonks but they ensured that Teddy will grow up knowing at least one of his parents. And even though Remus did not agree with them in his grief, he soon realised Teddy was worth living for and a couple of days after the battle begun taking proper care of him. Now he was a stay at home father and glad for it, as it gave him time to come to terms with his loss.

She knocked gently and waited a few moments until a highly dishevelled Remus opened the door, a crying Teddy on his hip. It became an unspoken agreement between them that Hermione would come round and help him with the babe. The young witch simply took Teddy in her arms and cuddled him close to her warm chest, before moving inside to not disturb the other occupants of the house for too long.

"Hey there little cub." she started talking in soothing tones as she walked around the living room space. "Those icky teeth are giving you no rest, are they? Is that why your daddy looks like he is about to tear his hair out?" she chuckled as Teddy instantly calmed down, listening attentively and snuggled closer into her arms. "You know we can't allow that. All the other wolves wouldn't want to play with him if he has bald spots!" she chuckled as Remus groaned at her sense of humour, and continued swaying until she got to the crib in the bedroom. "Now, what shall we sing tonight? How about your favourite about the moon rising in the skies? Would you like that Teddybear?" she smiled as he squirmed a bit, looking up at her with his large golden eyes. It was thankfully the only trait he had inherited from his father, the bright eyes marking him the son of a werewolf. But each day Remus had a reminder of his wife before his eyes, as the babe's hair continued to change colour.

She sang the soft tunes, humming gently until Teddy's eyes dropped and he fell asleep contently. In her haste to put Teddy down and get some rest herself, she had completely forgotten about Remus who was leaning against the door frame watching them. She motioned for him to step outside and closed the door quietly, in order not to disturb the peacefully sleeping cub.

"Thank you." came a soft whisper from the older man. "I have no idea how you do it, but I couldn't do this without your help." he added and just noticed his shirt was only halfway done, revealing his scarred chest. He finished buttoning it up hastily before continuing their conversation.

Hermione just waved him off. "He misses his mother, just as much as you miss your wife, it is only natural. I do what I can. This reminds me, the wolfsbane is almost ready for the upcoming full moon. Don't worry about Teddy, he will be safe and sound with me for the night." She smiled encouragingly. She was the one currently making the potion for the wolf, considering the ones on the market were usually of a lesser quality and much too expensive still.

Remus nodded his head in acknowledgement and thanks, trying to deal with the loss of his wife on top of everything that was coming his way. After a moment of comfortable silence, Hermione patted his shoulder in comfort before leaving for her own room to get some much needed and desired rest. Finally, she had a free weekend and could sleep as much as her body needed her to. She cast locking and silencing charms, too tired to even contemplate a shower, and after shucking her clothes crawled underneath the heavy duvet and fell asleep in moments.

* * *

"...Conclusively, Master Hernandez' research did not prove valid, and any further studies into the properties of unicorn blood have been postponed for the time being." Harry closed the _Potions Weekly_ and looked at his silent companion and patient. The one life he did not have on his conscience, even though so many were already weighting it down.

Severus Snape, potions master extraordinaire was lying on the crisp sheets, his wounds healing slowly but steadily as his pale body recovered from Nagini's venom. The first few days had been excruciating since no matter what they tried to stabilise him, the man kept slipping in and out of coma and they feared permanent damage to his brain. As it turned out, they needn't feared. Hermione used exceedingly more complicated diagnostic spells to see what was causing their failure, only to get one of the biggest surprises in her life. One of the scans showed an anomaly only occurring in born vampires. Apparently Eileen Prince was not all she seemed to be and it would certainly explain the slight strain between Snape and Remus. Harry would have burst into peals of laughter at the irony, for all the years of calling the man the 'dungeon bat' without knowing how close he was in his assessment was almost ridiculous.

No wonder the blood replenishing potions did no good. A severely wounded vampire could only be cured by fresh human blood which they have not administered. So the boy-who-lived-to-kill-the-big-bad did the only thing he could think of and slit his wrist. As the blood started dripping onto the wound and in the man's mouth, they watched dark green venom slowly seeping from the wound until every last drop was gone and the flesh begun naturally knitting itself together. A low growl was the only warning Harry received before onyx eyes met his, a weak hand grabbed his wrist to pull it closer and sharp teeth sunk into his yielding flesh like knife into butter. He hissed in pain at the hungry gulps the man was taking but let him take his share until light-headedness overcame his body. Hermione separated them as gently as possible, sealing his wrist closed and made him lie down after giving him a few blood replenishing potions to get his own much needed rest.

Since then, Harry has been feeding the man his blood each evening without a comment. The potion master remained silent and accepted the offering every time, saving his energy to fully regenerate. The second and more unfortunate possibility was that they would have to further examine his throat for any damage to the vocal cords, and he remained silent not to aggravate it any further. Vampires may be eternal under normal circumstances, but their bodies could not always heal all. Every day Harry would sit with the man, redress his bandages and read to him to keep their minds from stagnating. Severus was still a moody and sometimes unpleasant man in his glares and impatience to get out of bed, but the truce they have established before the battle lasted through it, and Harry became much more comfortable in the man's presence.

Suddenly he felt a surprisingly warm touch on top of his hand and looked up at the resting man who was watching him. A dark brow furrowed slightly as if he wondered why Harry suddenly went quiet, the onyx gaze searching his face for any clues. Harry simply shook his head and got the knife from the bedside table before opening the healed wound on the wrist and offered it to the man as became their evening routine. Severus gripped the wrist surprisingly gently before sinking his fangs into the source of coppery delight. Harry closed his eyes, no longer wincing at the light pain of entry and let the gentle suction sooth him. He would usually use a simple healing charm to close the wound, not minding the small scar it left behind as he knew he would only renew it the next night. This time however as the older man pulled away, his tongue darted out and licked the wound, sealing it without as much as a scratch. Harry gasped softly but nodded in gratitude. After drinking a couple of blood replenishing potions, he opened the door and turned towards the man.

"Good night, sir. I hope you rest well." he said softly, the words sounding almost loud in the silent room, before closing the door gently and heading for his own room for the night.


	2. Chapter 2 - Telepathy and Breastmilk

**AN: WOW, I am deeply flattered by such a wonderful response from you, my dearest followers! And for that reason, just this week I will post two chapters ;) But just this week, because you are all worth it and deserve it for being so lovely and kind with your words. So here it is enjoy! x**

* * *

Harry stumbled out of bed quite late the next morning and after a quick shower found his way into the kitchen to get some breakfast for Snape and himself. What he discovered though was Hermione just finishing the fourth tower of her speciality, dark chocolate pancakes. He walked up and hugged her from behind.

"Good morning beautiful. How would we ever manage without you and your delicious pancakes?! I am sure Remus would go round the bend without his sugar income." he chuckled dramatically.

Hermione just smiled and turned around to press a peck to his cheek. "Good morning. And I am sure you would be more than fine. After all, you can cook more than acceptably. What this place needs is not me but some serious work. Perhaps we can hire some house elves to help out. *Paid* ones." she emphasized, not quite losing her old S.P.E.W fire, the spatula almost poking Harry's eye out.

Harry just shook his head. "You know what, why don't we make a day out of it? We can arrange for the elves, a few little bits and bobs in Diagon and then a shopping trip to muggle London? We both deserve the break and have the money to spend. I want clothing that actually fits me for once, and you are a girl. Girls can never have enough clothes and shoes, right? What do you say?" he smiled widely.

Hermione rolled her eyes and grabbed a tray with two plates and a bottle of milk. "If I didn't already know you were bisexual, the suggestion for a day of shopping would have been a dead giveaway. Either that or I would be wondering whether you weren't channeling Lavender for a moment there." she winked and pushed the door open with her derrière. "But it does sound good. The press might be a bit of an issue but if we travel under disillusionment charms in between the shops in Diagon, we should manage!" she called before the door closed after her.

Harry laughed at her new found energy, enjoying her cheekiness for once as he had missed her liveliness in the past weeks. He added some orange marmalade to his tray, scrunching up his nose slightly at the man's tastes, and wondered how he managed to eat normal food when blood must have been quite filling on its own, until he reached the second floor and its only occupant. He settled the tray on the side and poured the man a large mug of steaming black coffee straight away. He knew better than to say anything before the grumpy man had at least two of those, for he would be facing a day of irritated glares otherwise.

After a slow and enjoyable breakfast, he put the tray away and reached for an old tome on Potions that he had found in the Black library yesterday, but a pale elegant hand on his wrist stopped him. He looked up to see Snape tapping his temple three times. It was a familiar gesture from the times of his training for the battle. After he came into his magical inheritance on the eve of his 17th birthday, occlumency became much easier for him to handle and in a few months his shields were just as impenetrable as Snape's. It was in that time that they had grown much more tolerant of each other, one could even say friendly under the circumstances of the war. Of course Harry did not know then that the man was a vampire, which gave him a natural talent and strong ability when it came to mind magic. Now it made much more sense and he even felt secure in the knowledge that he had possibly been taught by the best. At random, the man would test his shields with or without a warning. Usually when he tapped his temple twice, it meant Harry had about 3 seconds to reinforce his shields for the attack. When he tapped three times, it meant to completely lower his shields, to test how quick he was able to raise them once his mind was under attack.

He looked at the older man quizzically but knew to trust him and therefore closed his eyes, slowly lowering the protection around his mind. Once he opened his eyes, he was met with an intense onyx gaze and soft drawl of "Potter..." in his mind.

He had guessed the man was a telepath before, but it still made him flinch slightly. He knew better than to attempt telepathy himself so he simply thought of an answer, knowing the man could now read him like an open book. Speaking seemed too impersonal at the moment when he felt the connection between their mind buzzing like an open channel.

"Good morning, sir. How are you feeling?" his mind asked, giving the man time to answer.

"Much recovered, thank you. I fear however that my vocal cords sustained irreparable damage. Would you inform Ms. Granger of my suspicions, as her healing magic is slightly more evolved than yours?" Snape asked, even the voice of his mind sounding like his usual neutral drawl.

"I will be sure to mention it to her. The wound on your neck has knitted together rather well; unfortunately we were not able to prevent extensive scarring due to the qualities of the venom." he answered before sitting more comfortably in the armchair, curling his feet beneath his body for the conversation.

"Only vain persons trouble themselves over the looks of their human shell. You should know me better by now Potter, to assume that such nonsense would bother me." the drawl was slightly sharper this time.

Harry shook his head. "I am aware of your opinions on vanity, sir. However just as I do, you know scars like these tend to get slightly more uncomfortable at winter. I merely wished to prepare you for the future." he inclined his head to the man in respect.

"How very thoughtful of you for once, Potter." the drawl was almost lazy this time, and Harry recognized it for the teasing it was meant to to be, chuckling at the man's sense of humour.

"Is my blood a sufficient aid in your healing?" he finally asked, not quite sure how to breach the topic.

There was a moment of silence where he feared over-stepping the boundaries by his question but the soft voice in his head returned soon. "It indeed is, Mr. Potter. However, I have to inquire whether you are aware of the consequences your actions of blood offering might have?"

Harry inclined his head to the side. "The need for blood replenishing potions? I've had worse, it truly is no trouble. Hermione is monitoring my health often to prevent any lasting effects."

Snape shook his head slightly, wary of opening the healing scar. "I am glad to hear that, however that was not the purpose of my inquiry. Do you know the difference between a victim having their blood taken by a vampire, and a continual willing donation of blood on regular basis?"

Harry thought hard back to the lesson on vampires in his O.W.L studies and tried to remember the difference. Blood taken by force had different properties and the victim often suffered post-traumatic anaemia for a period of several months if they did not die from blood-loss. A willing donor had to be healthy, their blood had healing properties along with a different appeal to the vampire taste wise... If the magic of the donor was highly compatible with the magic of the offered vampire then-

Bewildered emerald eyes snapped to look at the silent older man, silently asking for confirmation of his conclusions. "A bond may form between the vampire and the donor, similar to the one of a Sire and a Childe, in particular the mental and emotional links typical for such a relationship... Shit."

"Language Mr. Potter." came an amused answer from the smirking vampire.

* * *

Hermione slipped into Remus' rooms on the first floor of the Black family house with the loaded tray, keeping the bottle warm under her arm. The door to the bedroom was still closed so she put the tray on the low coffee table and cast a few cleaning charms on the slightly messy room, picking up bits of laundry here and there before sending it downstairs to the basket to be washed. She heard a shuffle behind her back just as she opened the window to let in some fresh air and light.

Remus opened the door to the bedroom in silent invitation as he himself went to take a shower. Hermione went over to the bedside crib and found Teddy already up and looking around curiously, gurgling softly to himself. "Ah, our moonflower is awake already!" she smiled and kissed his forehead as she picked him up gently. "I see you slept rather well since you are not fussing this morning. Come, let's take a nice warm bath and get ready for the day."

She rolled up the sleeves of her simple green sweater and hummed to herself as she prepared the small muggle plastic bath tub she got for Tonks at her baby shower. Teddy absolutely adored water so the next few minutes were filled with happy giggles, amused chuckles and a softly hummed French song she recalled from the times of her childhood. After drying off and dressing the cub in his favourite blue cotton jumpsuit, she moved back into the living room where a freshly dressed Remus seemed to be waiting for them with breakfast.

"Oh, please help yourself. I'll be nibbling as I feed Teddy and I know you can't say no to sugar for long." she chuckled as Remus tried to look well mannered while diving straight for the caloric bomb. She gasped as tiny hands were reaching for her breast, momentarily revealing her simple white brassiere. She just waved the bottle in front of the greedy babe and soon he was happily munching on the provided milk, breast forgotten for the moment.

Remus was chuckling as well, one of the few moments these days when his troubled face lit up slightly. "He is the son of a Marauder, you cannot expect any less I'm afraid."

Hermione just rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "How could I say no to those dimples? However, there is something I need to discuss with you regarding my breasts." she said a bit more seriously, not quite sure how to approach the man.

Remus looked at her strangely, but then she noticed he was trying hard not to laugh. "Are you sure I am the right person for that discussion Hermione?" he answered just as seriously, the corners of his mouth twitching comically.

Hermione looked at his in confusion before realising her phrasing and huffed softly. "Oh seriously. My life would be exponentially easier if I wasn't the only woman in this bloody household." she grumbled.

Remus could not hold the laughter in any longer at her last comment and just sat back, watching her grumbling face.

Hermione just snickered before continuing. "If you're done being perverted so early in the morning, I was actually being serious. Poppy informed me that the woman she got breast milk from for Teddy is no longer available. She stopped producing due to trauma, her husband has just lost the battle with a dark curse." she revealed with a heavy sigh. "We could try powdered milk but considering Teddy's genetics, that might be a risk. So she suggested a different venue."

Remus put down his fork and was listening carefully now as he gathered it was a serious topic. Hermione took another deep breath before continuing. "There is a potion that influences witch's hormonal levels into producing breast milk for a few months. Since Teddy needs at least two more months of breast feeding to ensure correct development and health, she asked if I would be willing to breast feed him myself until Spetember." She noticed the slight widening of Remus' pupils but continued talking. "My body sustained some damage from the number of Cruciatus' I received, but I would be able to do this for your cub before we start introducing him to soups, fruits and vegetables. That is if you agreed." she added softly and looked down at Teddy who just finished off most of the bottle. She picked him up and burped him gently, letting Remus process the information she just provided for him.

Remus could not help himself but stare at the young woman who sat so calmly in front of him. The brave and talented witch, who has already sacrificed so much for the Wizarding world was now offering to undergo changes to her own body for the welfare of the son of a werewolf she was not even related to. Did her giving nature have no boundaries? How did her heart remain golden through the perils of the war only just ended? He noticed how petit, almost deceptively fragile she seemed. Yet here she was, the epitome of strength and bravery...

Hermione wondered at the man's silence and looked up, only to be encountered with a golden eyes swirling with chocolate hues. "Remus?" she asked softly, wondering at the way he was looking at her. The intense gaze softened considerably and Remus focused on her again, his gaze returning to its usual colour.

"I'm sorry but you surely understand my astonishment at the sacrifice you are willing to make for my son and I." His voice was deep but soft as he noticed his son contently sleeping snuggled into her neck, holding onto her sweater lightly.

Hermione simply waved him off. "I don't mind in the slightest. It might do my body some good actually. I will take the potions before noon so the milk has time to form before Teddy wakes up from his nap round two." she smiled.

Remus could do nothing but nod in gratitude. "Thank you. Now let me take the sleeping cub from you so you can finish your breakfast before it gets cold." He said as he gently extricated his son from her shoulder and carried him into the crib.

Hermione merely smiled softly at seeing Remus trying his best for the son he was left alone with. Hopefully he will soon realise that he had friends and family to help him care for the beautiful cub of his. With such thoughts, Hermione happily tucked in, knowing she will be needing her nutrients if she was to do this right.


	3. Chapter 3 - Changes

**AN: Thank you all for your continuous support, my dearest readers and followers, and with that in mind I hope you enjoy this new chapter as more begins to unveil ;) xx**

* * *

Harry blinked owlishly for a few moments, just trying to come to terms with the realisation. If their magic proved to be compatible, which he had no doubt about after the training he had undergone with the man, things were about to get complicated. A part of the learning process was mastering his wandless and non-verbal magic, and channeling other sources of magic to boost his spell work. In those lessons, Snape would teach him how to find his own center and seek out with his magic another magical being in the vicinity to draw from. And the spells he produced with their combined magic had been quite powerful. How much would that impact on the shift in their bond? Did he even want to contemplate it?

"I would have warned you, had I been of conscious mind before you started feeding me your own blood, but by the time I was well enough to stay awake, the link had already been established." the man's voice brought him out of his musings once more.

Harry looked at him contemplatively. "So we will have to wait and see what kind of a bond establishes itself." he said with a sigh. He had finally allowed himself hope to live in peace as his own man, and once again it was crushed by another involuntary bond. But was it really involuntary? He had offered his blood to the man because he did not want him to die. As strange as it may sound, the Potion master was growing on him, even with his biting sarcasm and occasional foul moods. While not a pleasant man on most days, both Hermione and Snape had been his constant since the first year, always present and somewhat hovering, saving his ass when necessary. Did he perhaps hope for a way to keep both of them in his life even after the war? Was that maybe what subconsciously motivated his willing donation of blood for the man?

"Potter, your thoughts are giving me a headache." the drawl was back and Harry's vivid emerald gaze snapped back to him.

His eyes narrowed. "Get out of my head then." he said tersely. After having had Voldemort in his head most of his life, it was not at all comforting to have such a mental link with the man he was still not sure about. Speaking with him telepathically while he healed, sure. But have the man ever present in his mind, and sensing his emotions? Harry was frankly glad to already be sitting...

The vampire's lips tightened for a moment. "Believe me when I say I would rather go deaf as well if I did not have to listen to your barely coherent mind, but it is unfortunately not possible for me momentarily." even his mental voice held sharpness as he replied this time.

Harry deflated slightly and leaned back in the armchair, rubbing his eyes, all of a sudden tired even though it was only the morning. "I'm sorry, I just...didn't expect this." he replied after a moment, surprising the man momentarily.

It was still on occasion difficult to see the young man for himself. He carried the resentment towards authority, the same as his father, but Severus knew now not to look for the couple in their son. Harry was his own person, and every day he surprised Severus by proving just how much.

Severus nodded in acknowledgement of his apology. "I understand it is a situation we have not predicted, and therefore may take time to get used to. However I do urge you to give yourself time to contemplate it. Predictably..." he trailed off.

"It will happen. Our magic is compatible, Merlin knows why..." Harry muttered at first, but suddenly smirked. "Though I have to say, you will be able to communicate with me without having to look me in the eye, as long as we are not too far apart. That should appeal to your spying inclinations."

The ever sinister eyebrow rose on Snape's forehead in amusement this time and Harry burst out laughing, making the potions master wonder whether he had gone into shock. It was possible, Potter had been through quite a bit and he could still see the occasional shadow of the war in the green depths of his gaze. But this reaction was utterly bizarre.

"Potter, have you finally gone mad?" he drawled in amusement, the voice in Harry's head making him laugh even more.

He finally calmed down after a moment and stood. "Phew, I needed that." he said and chuckled, taking the empty mugs with him. "Look, I have plans for this afternoon, and will think this through. If there is anything else I need to know about this...bond, I would appreciate it if you let me know in the evening when I come to change your bandages." he said.

Snape nodded. "And Potter, I would...appreciate some breakfast." he said, looking quite ill at ease at having to ask for something in such a kind manner still. He could be a pleasant man, but this morning, he didn't appear to be of a mood for too much politeness.

Harry nodded and put the mugs down, looking around for the knife but it seemed to have disappeared so he reached beneath the leg of his trousers and pulled out a throwing dagger, cutting into the flesh of his wrist for the man. Snape raised an eyebrow at the dagger but did not otherwise comment, taking a few gulps of the coppery life-source before closing the wound with his tongue. Harry wiped the blade and left without a word. He needed a good run and to think through some of plans for redecorating the Black family home as it was still quite dark and a bit grotesque. Perhaps he would be able to agree with Hermione rather swiftly on what needed to be done and they could really start calling it a home...

* * *

Hermione was standing in front of the mirror, clinically observing the changes her body had undergone in the past two hours. Her hips had a slightly fuller curve to them, her skin was softer than usual to touch, and her breasts felt heavy and full. Poppy said these were the signs her body was ready and lactating. She looked at the clock and noticed it was just about time to feed the cub, so she put on one of her old flannel shirt, figuring it would be easier for Teddy to access if she just open a couple of buttons.

She knocked on Remus' door but there was no answer, so she entered quietly but found the living room empty. She was given permission to come in and help with Teddy, so it wasn't like she was not allowed inside, but she did wonder where Remus was. Most likely just in the kitchen. Well that would suit her well anyway. They first had to see of Teddy would be accepting of the change in feeding. She found the babe in his crib, squirming a little uncomfortably.

"Hello Teddybear, are you ready for a change and feed?" she spoke to hims kindly, nuzzling his cheek as he had always enjoyed human warmth very much.

Once in a fresh nappy and more content, Teddy begun reaching for something to drink or eat and this time Hermione did not stop him. She read in one of the books from Poppy that many babies enjoyed feeding while lying down on the side. So she opened a few buttons and once they were both settled on the covers, her hand supported Teddy's back gently as he attached himself to a nipple. It was a strange feeling but she did not mind it. The potion was already influencing her hormones and doing her a world of good. If this ensured the healthy development of a child, she knew it was most worth it.

Remus returned from the kitchen with a bottle of warm tea for his son, not knowing whether Hermione was ready yet. But he smelled her presence the moment he stepped into his room, the distinct hibiscus oils she used were always gentle to his sensitive nose. He cautiously walked to the bedroom and noticed the door was halfway opened, the scene before him rooting him to the spot. Hermione was smiling down on his happily feeding son, her chest partially exposed through the unbuttoned shirt to allow his son the access he needed. Remus' wolf was contently purring within his mind and chest as he watched, knowing Hermione could not be called anything but beautiful at that moment.

Teddy hiccupped softly and Hermione chuckled. "Silly cub, drinking too fast. You seem to like your milk much better this way then from the bottle." she smiled kindly and buttoned up her shirt, pulling Teddy close to rub his back into burping. That was when she noticed Remus. She looked into his eyes and knew he must have been stading there for a while.

"I am sure you have noticed that your cub is more than enthusiastic." she commented lightly, not sure yet how to feel about the man seeing in her in a state of partial undress.

Remus cleared his throat before answering. "I am not surprised. Dora lost her milk almost immediately and he had been quite unsettled about the bottle so soon." he said softly, the memory of his late wife making his frown deepen slightly.

Hermione simply nodded. "You know, it is good to talk about her and deal with your grief. We are all here to help." she offered a small friendly pat on the shoulder before heading to her rooms.

...

The next day came and they begun bright and early. Harry did however underestimated the tenacity of his best friend. Once Hermione started, there was no stopping her until she was perfectly happy. And right now he was immensely glad for apparition, otherwise they would have had to do this over a whole week. They have repaired the wards around Grimmauld place, until it recognised both their magical signatures and enabled the two of them to apparate straight from the house. They took several trips, always dropping off bags as shrinking would do damage to their magical robes and official wear.

Once they entered muggle London however, they went a bit crazy. Not only for themselves, but for little Teddy as well. Harry loved to spoil his godson and Hermione just adored the little cub. They bought him enough clothing to last him until he was at least a year old, as well as some necessities, books and toys. Hermione looked for something that would soothe his gums as well, as he had begun teething a bit early.

While she invested in some more summer clothing for herself, she was adamant about burning Harry's hand-me-down wardrobe and buying him everything from scratch. It took them a good three hours between different shops until he had a nice pile.

"Enough for one day. Let's get some tea and decide on the renovations." he suggested as they apparated back to the house.

Hermione readily agreed, her feet aching as they made their way into the kitchen. They had a rough sketch of the house and knew what the rooms contained, so deciding on how to renovate could potentially go rather swiftly.

They sat down, each nursing their mug but Hermione didn't even look at the sketches. Instead, she was observing her best friend a moment before deciding to broach the subject. "Has he told you yet?" she asked gently.

Harry looked at her, wondering for a moment what she was talking about but then realisation downed on him. "You knew. That this would happen."

Hermione shook her head. "I didn't know. I have read about it, and it is not a fixed matter. Not all develop the connection, not all relationships shift. I thought that if you offered your blood, he would maybe get a better understanding of you, but not that this would happen. The bond will develop, yes?"

Harry nodded. "I think so. Our magic is quite compatible. I don't really know what to think of it.." he said, his emotions still a little divided. Last night he had returned to redress the potions master's bandages and the man remained silent, only wishing him a good night and thanking him for the blood. Was it wishful thinking to assume the man was giving him time to consider things?

"Why don't you just do what you did until now? Read to him, help him heal and give him your blood. And see where it goes." Hermione suggested. "You have the house to renovate and one more thing, we need to get our N.E.W.T.s." she said, hoping Harry would get his done with hers.

Harry seemed to realise her train of thought and nodded. "I don't want to return to Hogwarts though. It won't be home anymore.." he said softly.

Hermione nodded. "I have written a letter to the Ministry, requesting registering us for N.E.W.T exams there. We can take them in August or September, which gives us almost three months to prepare. And we can study together. Shall I send it tomorrow?" she suggested.

Harry nodded. "I will think about the subjects I need to study." he realised for the first time that he did not give his future much thought.

"Well, what is it that you want to do? You don't exactly need to work with your Potter and Black Lordship and inheritance. What would make you happy?" Hermione smiled encouragingly.

Harry thought about it for a moment. "I don't know yet. But I want to get some sort of qualifications. At least in DADA, Transfiguration and Charms as the basics. On the rest, I would have to think. But we have a whole summer to figure it out, don't we?" he smiled.

Hermione nodded and finished her cup, sending to the sink to wash itself. "Now, let's talk about this house." she chuckled, eager to make it a true home.

As her parents were living their new happy lives in Australia, and she had no one else in the world, she was most happy and grateful to live with Harry. And to be given a chance to help him renovate would keep them both busy and create something for Harry to finally call a true home, and perhaps for herself as well if Harry would have her.


	4. Chapter 4 - Wondering and arguing

Hermione struggled a little bit upstairs with the full basket of laundery and several bags in her other hand, making her way towards Remus' quarters. "Remus!" she called, hoping the man would hear her and at least open the door for her. It took a moment but she heard shuffling and the door opened.

"Hermione! Here, let me get that for you. You already do so much for us.." he said and took the heavy basket from her, leading the way inside the quarters.

"And I bring gifts." she smiled, putting the bags down and showing him the clothing for Teddy. "For the next 8 months, and anti-slippery socks for when he begins his first attempts at walking."

Remus looked at the small towers of clothing, all soft, good quality cotton and thicker materials for winter. "You did not have to."

"I know. These are from both Harry and I. He is after all Teddy's godfather and has a right to care for him if one or both of his parents are absent." she reminded him gently. "And I admittedly couldn't wait to see him in the green. Maybe he will even match his hair with it." she laughed softly, hoping to lighten the man's mood.

Remus chuckled. "You do spoil us. Thank you." he said honestly.

"And that is not all." she said and handed him one more bag. "This one is for you, and you will need it." she said with a smile.

Remus looked at her curiously but opened the bag, pulling out a well-tailored wine red shirt, and a pair of elegant dark gray slacks. "Hermione.."

"They should fit. It's for your job interview." she smiled. "Kingsley sent Harry and I a letter, hoping to recruit us for the ministry and mentioned he would be interested in seeing you and hearing your opinions on werewolf legislations. If all goes well, you could get a job at the department."

Remus' eyes positively sparkled. An opportunity like that would give him a chance to make life easier for many a man and woman, even whole families. And it would provide quite a distraction for him. "But what about my son? He needs me now."

Hermione nodded. "And he will spend the afternoons and evenings with you when you come home from work. In the mean time, we can look after him during day between Harry and I. We still have a few months at home, to prepare for our N.E.W.T.s and to be able to redecorate the house. All you have to do is go see Kingsley, when you're ready and the moon passes." she smiled encouragingly.

Remus shook his head. "Why are you doing all this, Hermione?" he asked curiously. "Not that I am ungrateful of course." he added quickly.

Hermione chuckled. "You are technically family Remus. Harry sees you as his only living parental figure, and your son is his godson. To me, Harry is a brother and you a friend." she said simply.

Remus contemplated her for a moment but nodded. "Thank you." he finally said and picked up the clothes to put them away. "Is the wolfsbane ready?" he asked conversationally.

"I will be adding the last ingredient just after I feed Teddy so he can go to sleep. If you drink it in the morning, all should be well. Where will you be going?" she asked.

"As far away as I can get. Minerva has agreed to let me roam the Forbidden forest where I won't be a danger to anyone." he answered a little stiffly, the full moon a dreaded topic for him but he understood she was asking out of concern.

"And in the morning? How will you get home?"

"I will try to apparate. If I cannot, I will have to stay in the hospital wing for a while. Are you sure it will not be an imposition for you to look after Teddy in the mean time?" he asked, avoiding her gaze as he straightened the clothing inside the drawer.

"Of course not." Hermione said kindly and headed for the bedroom to feed the little cub.

"Hermione, wait." he stopped her and finally looked her in the eyes. "I know I have no right but I was hoping to ask a favour of you." he begun.

"Of course, what is it?" she asked curiously.

"Teddy seems to be most content during the full moon in a familiar environment. I hear he gets a little restless. Would you mind staying with him here..in my rooms?" he finally asked.

Hermione only smiled kindly. "If it's for Teddy's well-being, of course I will stay." she promised.

"Thank you." he sighed in relief and watched her close the bedroom door to feed the cub in privacy.

Hermione was a bit of an enigma to him sometimes, her kindness almost unreal. But he knew why Harry was so close to her. She may express her opinion but in the end, her support and care was unwavering. And for that, she was a one of the most beautiful people he had ever met.

…...

Harry knocked on the door and waited a moment before entering, giving the man some time to adjust himself in the bed if necessary. What he discovered however was that Snape was not in bed at all. The door to the bathroom was closed but he could hear a faint groan of pain. He immediately lowered his mental shields and knocked on the door.

"Sir, are you alright?" he called to him mentally, waiting for the response as he did not wish to breach his privacy.

"Go...away...Potter.." came the strained response and he immediately recognized it as pain.

"You are in pain, sir. I'm coming in!" he said and turned the door handle, letting himself into the bathroom.

He paused at the sight of the naked vampire sitting at the edge of the bath, holding his bleeding throat. Swallowing any discomfort, he stepped forward and picked up a towel, covering the man's hips before taking his hand away from the wound. "What happened?" he asked, noticing the nicely healing wound has been torn in one place and bleeding profusely.

"I told you...to stay away...Get out..Potter!" the mental response was weak and the man's hand went to push him away but Harry caught it easily with his reflexes.

"No, you are hurt. Let me heal you." he said and pulled out his wand, disregarding the man's angry glare.

He muttered a complex healing charm and watched as the man winced while the flesh was knitting itself together slowly. It took a long moment but the wound was finally sealed once more, only leaving an angry red scar behind. "There, let's get you cleaned up and into bed." he said and picked up a flannel, wetting it wipe away the blood.

"Insufferable...fool...no respect...for others' wishes...just like your...father.." the angry mental hissing making him flinch momentarily.

He pursed his lips however and washed the man's throat and chest before cleaning the blood he got on his hand as well. He did not comment on the jibe, wondering if they will ever get past this kind of ridicule, but it was not important at the moment. He quietly transfigured the towel into sleeping trousers for the man to preserve his modesty and picked up the razor from the healing cabinet to cut into his wrist.

"What..are you..doing?" came the man's question, sounding rather more like a protest but Harry ignored it, simply slicing his wrist open and pressing the bleeding flesh to the man's lips.

Severus could not help himself at the smell, so sharp and calling to his hungry body after the blood loss. His teeth extended and he bit into the skin to suck more vigorously, closing his eyes at the now familiar taste of the Griffyndor's life source. He only stopped when Harry pulled his hand away firmly and healed his cut with a wave of his wand, not even waiting for Severus himself to close the wound painlessly and efficiently.

"Will you manage to the bed?" he asked.

Severus glared at his audacity. "I am not an invalid Potter." he replied sharply, his mental response much stronger now.

Harry only looked at him for a moment completely dispassionately before turning on his heel and leaving the man's rooms, closing the door behind him none-too-gently.

…...

It was a rather restless night for all occupants of the house. Harry could not sleep so he donned some sleeping pants and went downstairs into the kitchen for a cup of tea. He should have been surprised to find Hermione already there, clad only in her new cream silk robe, but no longer was.

"Harry?" she asked, her back still turned to the door as she stirred something in the pot on the hob.

"How did you know?" he asked, shuffling closer to look over her shoulder.

"You are the only one who shuffles his feet like that." she chuckled tiredly before turning the flames off. "Hot cocoa?" she asked.

"Yes please." Harry sat at the table and stretched his legs.

Hermione pulled another mug off the shelf and poured her special recipe cocoa into them, taking them to the table to join the young man. "Nightmares?" she asked gently, knowing they both still suffered from them and consequently met in the kitchens for a drink often in the past weeks.

Harry shook his head. "I just can't seem to settle down. What about you?"

Hermione took a sip from the sweet liquid before putting her mug down again. "I don't know. My sleeping pattern is still not where it should be. With Teddy needing a feed quite early, I get little sleep as it is, not that I would complain about that. I guess...I'm just worried." she sighed.

"About?" Harry prompted.

"Remus." she answered honestly. "Sometimes I wonder. He is mourning, and sometimes gets sad and moody which I understand. But other times...there is just something in his eyes, I can't name it. And then they flash golden for a moment before everything is back to normal. And I am left thinking I am imagining things. Maybe I am." she chuckled humourlessly.

Harry looked at her contemplatively. "Maybe it's the full moon? I think that might explain the eye thing. As for his moods, I think it will settle down a bit after he takes the job. Kingsley is working fast, reviewing laws and legislations. It will give him something else to think about, and worry for than Teddy." he suggested.

Hermione nodded and took another sip from her cup. "I know, I'm just being silly. I just worry for him. He became a good friend over the last year, and a great mentor to both of us alongside professor Snape. Speaking of which, how is he doing?" she asked.

Harry's lips tightened for a moment before he tried masking it by his mug. "As well as can be expected."

Hermione tilted her head slightly. "Okay, spill." she said, leaning back in her chair.

Harry sighed. "I hate it when you do that."

"No you don't, you're just grumpy." she grinned, knowing her best friend too well. They were both so used to each other that the smallest of worry or trouble in either was easily detected.

"He's just so...Snape!" Harry finally huffed, making Hermione giggle a little at his statement, as if it explained all.

"Of course he is. Being almost tied to the bed in recovery, taking blood from you and wondering how your bond will develop..you are both obviously struggling with this." she said reasonably.

"Yeah? Well he could at least be civil about it. He compared me to my father again.." he sighed, rubbing his temples tiredly. Snape hadn't done that in months, their truce making them both much more amicable and perhaps a small part of him had hoped that they would be able to work this out. But now, he could see it was a mere illusion. Snape would never respect him, and if this bond really was to develop, he wouldn't be able to keep the man out of his head. How would they live with it? Would they want to live with it? And how else would Snape communicate if the tests showed his speech was lost for good?

"Harry?" Hermione called to him softly, and he snapped out of his thoughts.

"I'm sorry, just a lot on my mind." he finally said.

Hermione nodded. "Don't worry. How about you take a break? I'll go check on him in the morning after feeding Teddy, and run a few more extensive tests on his larynx to determine whether anything can be done. You have elves to organize for the clean up of the two top floors anyway." she suggest.

Harry nodded gratefully. "Let me know how he is and tell him he will get his blood around lunch." he said before finishing his drink. "Come on, let's go to bed."

Hermione nodded and sent the dishes to wash themselves in the sink as they went to get rest.


	5. Chapter 5 - A matter or blood

Severus looked up when he saw the door opening, his emotions in conflict. Yesterday's argument with Potter had left him slightly unsettled and he despised the feeling. Perhaps it was the bond forming between already, pushing them into a more amicable state and he despised the idea. If only for the fact that such arguments were truly occasional but bound to happen between them nonetheless. It took them a whole year of training and working together to become first neutral in their demeanor, then even somewhat friendly one might call it. But he knew there was an underlining resentment to their current situation, mostly from Potter's side.

He had been a vampire for since he came into his inheritance two decades ago, and had time to get used to both his condition and what that meant for his future. He had always known there was a possibility that he would turn another, or form a bond even though he never had the time sue to his status as a double agent. And while he was not necessarily a kind man after the years of hardship, he knew how to love, and was willing to feel for another. Of course loving during war only meant putting another in harm's way. Now that they were free and safe, he had hoped to settle down and begin a new life, perhaps with a companion. But as it turned out, fates kept his and Potter's life intertwined and so he would learn to be around the young man. Even if it meant biting his tongue sometimes.

And that was what really bothered him about their latest spat. Potter had utterly surprised him by overcoming his discomfort at Severus' nude state and helping him nonetheless, just because he wanted to. And even angered, the young man let him feed on his blood to regenerate. Potter was puzzling really...

But no, he could smell hibiscus, which meant it was Granger entering his rooms. And sure, a moment later the young woman stepped inside with a smile. "Good morning, sir. I am here to check the damage to your throat and to redress your bandages." she paused at his bedside and put down the cup of coffee she had for him. "Harry tells me the wound is disobeying and has reopened last night while he was checking it. Give me just a moment and we will see what happened." she smiled and begun on her work.

Severus remained sitting calmly, outwardly dispassionate towards her habit or verbalizing everything and reassuring him. It seemed almost a compulsion for her, perhaps rooted in the fact that he had been a professor to her for 7 years and this was the way she dealt with him being her patient instead. But that was the price he would pay for not having to be in the Hospital Wing under Poppy's care. While they became well acquainted over the years, the matron was far too commanding for his tastes. This way he was in a peaceful environment and left to his own company most of the day, which was how he prefered it mostly.

What puzzled him however was that Potter had lied to his best friend. She said they talked, and deduced it was one of the reasons why it was Granger checking on him this morning instead of Potter. But it seemed he did not divulge the fact that Severus had caused himself the harm while trying to shower on his own even though he was not yet supposed to. Very strange...

"Alright, I have good news and bad news. Which do you want to hear first?" Hermione asked, looking up from the parchment containing her notes and latest scans.

Severus simply raised a brow at her, to indicate his amusement at her asking such a ridiculous question. Hermione nodded and looked at the readings again. "Well the wound has sealed back again, and the flesh is doing well but it should be tender for a couple more weeks before it is healed to the point of no tearing." she said as she begun to bandage the wound again after applying two salves.

"As for your speech, the voice box has been damaged significantly. The good news is, you will heal. The scans show that the regular income of Harry's blood is doing excellent work. It might be due to the magic in his blood as well, as it is so compatible with yours. But I would have to do some more research into that. The bad news is," she paused, checking her work and nodding in satisfaction before looking into the man's eyes, "It will probably take more than another month for your first words. In the mean time, I would suggest not straining it at all if possible. I am sure you have other means of communication available to you." she finished.

Severus nodded in acknowledgement and thanks. He summoned a parchment and quill, quickly scribbling a note. _Thank you, Miss Granger. What potions would you suggest? Mind you, I am allergic to the valerian root. _He handed her the note and watched her nod.

"I would suggest taking you off the blood replenisher, Harry's blood seems to be enough for the moment. In addition to the two salves for your throat, I would suggest a potion in the form of a spray. Your throat is sensitive and taking it other than through an IV could do damage. If we give it to you that way however, it will have very little effect as it won't even touch the throat. A spray would distribute a small dose evenly on a wider area." she suggested and summoned her little notebook, searching for a section with potions.

"I found this one a few months ago in the advanced potions book, it is called the _Liquid song_ and contains no valerian root. Its healing properties could do well for your throat, sir." she suggested.

Severus looked it over, familiarizing himself with it and nodded. He pointed to the list of ingredient and the rather difficult brewing process, as if asking if she would manage it.

Hermione nodded with a smile. "It might be a bit of a challenge but I will bring you a sample once brewed to asses quality if you wish. Would that be agreeable with you?" she asked. Severus nodded to indicate his consent and handed the notebook back.

Hermione smiled. "Alright, I'll leave you to your coffee, and Harry should come around noon to give you some blood. Have a nice day, sir." she smiled once more and left him to his thought.

Peculiar that one, Severus thought and reached for his coffee, hoping to come to some sort of solution to his thoughts on Potter.

HPSSHGRL

Harry was humming to himself as he stirred the vegetables and chicken in the large pan for all of them. Hermione was spending the afternoon with Teddy in the nearby park while the weather was nice, Remus was pacing as the sun was getting closer to setting, and Snape has been rather quiet upstairs, no pun intended. Just as he was enjoying a bit the peace, he felt a pressure on his mind. It was quite a feat for the Potion master to be able to connect their minds through two floors, but with a sigh he lowered his shields for the man to have access to him.

"Yes?" he asked, not missing a beat in the stirring as he added some cinnamon and sweet chilli sauce.

"What is that concoction?" the drawling voice pierced into the silence surrounding him.

Harry paused. "How do you know I'm cooking?" he thought.

"Because I am standing behind you.." came the amused reply and Harry immediately turned around with a gasp, noticing the man only two steps away from him.

"Merlin, you made me jump." he said, clutching his chest as he calmed down from the surprise. "What are you doing out of bed?" he asked, looking at the man in black bathrobe, looking down at him almost curiously.

Snape took a step back and inclined his head. "I admit I was..hungered." his mental tone was almost cautious, something Harry admittedly didn't hear in him before.

"Well take a seat, lunch is almost ready." Harry said and turned back to the pan to lower the heat and stir a bit for last few moments.

"That is not the kind of hunger my body feels..." the soft words almost made him jump again and Harry finally turned the flames off completely, turning around again only the find the man even closer, a mere step away now.

"Uhmm...blood first then?" he asked, looking at the man who seemed to be oddly..alluring. Wait what?

"Professor, step away from Harry." Hermione's voice disrupted their vacuum as she stepped in front of Teddy protectively with her own body, wand raised.

The man turned and looked to be fighting with himself, hissing at her. Snape hissing. At Hermione. Oh Merlin, kitchen surrealism was the term. Hermione looked into the man's eyes and immediately stupefied him before casting an incarcerous to keep him in place. Thankfully he was distracted enough by his hunger to notice.

Harry stepped around the man carefully and came to her side. "What just happened?" he asked, still a little shocked.

"How much blood did he lose yesterday?" she asked.

"A lot."

"And you fed him?"

Harry cringed slightly at the phrasing but nodded. "A few gulps, yes. After we had the little argument so I wasn't exactly...generous." he admitted.

"And he didn't have any yet today." she finished, looking at the man contemplatively. "I think...and this is just a guess, that due to the bond developing between you, he will require more of your blood."

Harry looked at him in surprise. "I already give him blood twice a day. What am I supposed to do now?" she asked.

Hermione looked at the hungry vampire. "Touch him." she suddenly said.

Harry blushed. "Hermione!" he said, a little shocked at her suggestion.

"Not like that!" she chuckled. "What I've read of bonds, no matter the type, they often require presence, time spent together in closeness. Not necessary intimate, just closeness. Let's try that and I will read up on it during the night." she promised.

Harry took a deep breath and nodded. "Alright, let's give it a try then." he said and stepped closer to the bound vampire, nodding for her to release the spells.

Hermione lifted her wand and flicked it to release the bounds but kept it raised if need called for it. The hungered man unfroze and his dark eyes immediately fixed on Harry before him stepping hastily closer. Harry raised his wrist, offering it to the man openly and but a moment later he felt sharp fangs slice through the skin none-too-gently. He winced a little but felt a strong steadying hand wrap around his waist and let the man draw as much as he needed.

Hermione cast a protection bubble around Teddy and stepped closer, placing a hand on the man's shoulder. "Enough professor." she urged but the man continued. "Enough." she repeated and separated them immediately, healing Harry's wrist and sitting him down. A few blood replenishing potions later and he was much recovered, looking at the stoic man standing on the side and just looking at him.

"Thanks Hermione. Would you give us a minute?" he asked softly. She nodded and looked at the man warningly before picking Teddy up from the pushchair and leaving them to talk.

Harry ran a hand through his already messy locks nervously, looking back at the man who was observing him with great intensity still in his dark gaze. "Better?" he asked, trying to break the ice.

There was a moment of silence before the drawling voice once more sounded in his mind, this time a little hesitant again. "I...apologise for the manner in which I have..demanded your blood. It will not happen again."

Harry watched the man for a moment but knew the apology was sincere and nodded. "I guess the bond is...progressing." he said hesitantly.

The Potion master nodded. "As Miss Granger suggested, some research would be in order perhaps."

Harry nodded. "I guess." he replied.

The silence that followed was uneasy, and Harry did not know quite what to make of the man and the situation they were in. Time, as it often is, would reveal all. At least he hoped. And he wasn't alone in his hope...


	6. Chapter 6 - The Moon

Hermione paced the length of the room tiredly, Teddy squirming and crying in her arms. The full moon was taking its toll and the babe was very unsettled ever since the sun has set and Remus left to the Forbidden forest. As the Final battle itself had fallen on a full moon, this was the first night since then that Remus would be spending away from home and they were all worried for him. Well, minus their ex-professor of course who tolerated the wolf but the underlining tension between them was still heavy in the air. Huh, maybe the muggle romance novels did get at least that aspect right, she thought with amusement.

But that was the least of her worries right now. No matter what she did or tried, Teddy would not calm and continued crying in distress. She was brought out of her thoughts by knocking on the door and headed to open it. "Is something wrong?" she asked, noticing Harry looking just as tired as she was.

"I'm fine, Snape just went to sleep." he said and took Teddy from her arms to give his best friend a break. Even thought the Potions master and him were now 'bonded' for all intents and purposes, he could not bring himself to call the man by his first name just yet. Afterall, just yesterday Snape compared him to his father and called him Potter still. How was he supposed to be comfortable with referring to the man in any other way than what he was used to?

Hermione sat down for a moment and put her feet up, taking a long gulp from the refreshing water. Teddy would not stay still either way but if she sat down, he cried even louder so she had been pacing for the past 3 hours. "I didn't have any time to read up on your bond yet, I'm sorry. But I have some good books, and if you want to check them out with me-"

A sudden bang made them both jump and they ran to the window at the sound of a mournful howl. Remus had managed to portkey into their backyard. Hermione took Teddy from Harry's arms as they made their way downstairs to make sure everything was secure.

"I thought the portkey only worked when he was human!" Hermione called after him as she had to be more careful making her way down the stairs.

"I am not sure! Sirius did not specify in his will!" he called, warding the back doors and all windows with protective spells.

A week after the battle, Harry finally managed to make his way to Gringotts to sort out his finances, inheritance and other formalities tied to his name. One of those was Sirius' will, and as the current Lord Black, Harry only saw fit to give Remus what was supposed to be his; financial aid and one particular heirloom. It looked like a simple gold chain with a locket, but within was a hidden portkey Sirius had made specifically for Remus. And the will explained it was to bring him to any place he considered to be his home by simply thinking of it, if he were in a dire situation. And apparently having every bone in your body broken and sprouting a fur coat was a dire situation because Remus was still somewhere in there, or so they suspected with the wolfsbane, and he wanted to be home instead of Hogwarts.

They flinched again as the wolf's weight met the door heavily once more and claws tried to get through the door. "We have to do something, Harry!" she said, holding Teddy close protectively. It took her a moment to realise that the babe in her arms was no longer squirming. Neither was he crying. Teddy was looking at the door intently, almost as if he knew it was his daddy behind it.

"I can't believe it.." Harry said, looking at the babe leaning into Hermione contently and looking at the door.

Hermione pressed a kiss to the little boy's forehead. "Yes, that is your daddy, Teddybear. And it looks like you are happy to see him, but not tonight. Tonight you need to be far away from daddy to be safe, that is what he wants." she said softly, caressing his russet hair. "Harry, could you take Teddy and stay with Professor Snape tonight?" she asked.

"And what about you? Will you keep the wards up?" he asked, taking the babe from her.

Hermione pulled out her wand and nodded. "I can take care of myself and will keep the house secure. As long as he remains outside, it will have to be far enough from Teddy." she sighed. "Go, Professor must already sense your distress, don't make him get out of bed." she winked, trying to lighten the mood.

Harry grumbled about stupid bonds all the way upstairs much to Hermione's amusement, before she had to focus on the wolf still trying to gain access into the house. She did not know for sure as she had never asked Remus, but her understanding of wolfsbane was that it should suppress the nature of the wolf in order to keep the human mind of perfect awareness. If this worked, maybe Remus would calm down a little and stop trying to get his cub.

"Remus! It's Hermione, I'm coming closer to the door!" she called gently, hoping the tone would be soothing to him.

There was a long moment of silence as she could hear the wolf shuffling behind the door and she slid the lock open. "Step away, the wards are still in place. Please don't hurt me." she said just before opening the door.

Remus in his wolf form was just as she could remember him. Large and imposing, his brownish-grey coat lustrous in the light of the moon. But what shocked her every time were the eyes. The vibrant gold piercing her like a blade and stealing her breath a moment. Secure in the wards around her, and an extensive shield over her person, she stepped a little closer cautiously. "Hello Remus." she said softly.

The wolf however growled at her, as if in warning. She instantly halted her step and waited where she was. "Should I not come closer?" she asked, just to get confirmation and wondering whether the wolf could actually understand her. But this should be Remus, he should understand what she was saying even when in his wolf form...

Instead of stepping away, the wolf padded closer and looked into her eyes a moment longer. Gold, not chocolate brown. She quickly put two and two together and tried to stay calm even though her heart felt as if it wanted to pump out of her ribcage. "Moony..." she whispered her suspicion and the wolf gave an answering howl.

Hermione shuddered, partially in fear as she could remember well how Moony chased Harry and her through the forest in a blood frenzy. If the wolfsbane didn't work for some reason, this was even more dangerous than she originally though. Remus in the body of a wolf, with its instincts but a clear rational mind, was one thing. But to be standing before the actual werewolf was a risk she did not count on originally when stepping through that door into the moon light.

Moony leaned closer and begun sniffing her, before... No, it couldn't possibly...Was he PURRING?! Could werewolves purr?! Hermione was rather astonished and in her surprise even forgot to be afraid, her shield dropping. As if on instinct, she lifted her hand palm up and Moony pressed his hot, dry snout to the sensitive skin. It was almost as if he was acquainting himself with her through smell and sound.

Hermione smiled at the wolf and cautiously lifted her hand to card it through the fur on his head, scrapping her nails lightly over the skin beneath as she hoped would be soothing for the wolf and keep him calm even with the moon so bright and full above them. Moony..well, purred for the lack of better term, at the ministrations, making her chuckle softly as her mind compared the sound with the one Crookshanks used to make when she rubbed his belly. It was still a very comforting sound whatever it was, and only made the smile on her face widen.

All of a sudden she gasped for breath, holding her chest when the golden eyes once more opened and their gaze connected. It was as if the air was forced out of her lungs for a long moment and once she was able to take a deep breath, the smell of the wilderness, the Forbidden Forest, the berries, the pine trees...it was as if she could smell them all through the snout of a werewolf, so vividly. Her head was spinning a little and her knees gave out beneath her, forcing her to sit before the large wolf. And yet, she was not frightened, there was no panic at her current position before the majestic and deadly wolf. Gold...

_Mate..._ the word was whispered, caressing her mind as she continued to look at the wolf.

"M-mate? D-do you mean me?" she asked softly, her breath hitching when the wolf came even closer and..nuzzled her?

_Yes...you are mate...you called to me...but you were not ready then.._

Hermione looked at him in puzzlement. Called to him? She was wrecking her brain, trying to think what that meant. Was it because of Teddy? Did she call to him in Remus' grief as a good friend? But then she wouldn't be his mate, she was a friend. Was this how Remus thought of her? But this wasn't Remus, this was Moony. A mate to a werewolf was not just a friend...And Moony was saying she had called to him..and then it all became clear to her. Third year, the time turner...when she saw Moony closing in on them, she did the only thing that came to mind. She howled. And Moony had answered her call...

"But that was years ago..." she whispered.

_Yes...you never howled with me again...you were not ready...now you are..._ came the response.

"Ready? Ready for what?" she asked breathlessly, her mind struggling to process all of this. Moony leaned closer and she felt his hot breath on her neck, trembling slightly in fear at the proximity.

_Do not fear me mate...I would not hurt you...you are ready to be ours..._

"Yours?" she asked. "How will I be yours?"

_You will be mate to my human and I..._

Hermione didn't know what to make of the words, still surprised at the wolf's intellect and way of communication. "Is that why you are here?" she finally braved another question.

_Yes...I am here for you and my cub..._

"He is upstairs, missing you. The moon makes him restless if you are not here." she revealed, slowly relaxing as she realised she will not be the wolf's dinner. Her fingers once more begun carding through the thick fur behind his ear. The rumbling purr escaped the wolf's chest once more as he leaned into the touch.

_I came for both of you...The human lets you take care of cub when it is not yours...why do you take care of our cub?_

Hermione smiled. "Because he has lost his mother. To have a female in his life is important, for him to grow up happy and strong. And it helps Remus." she answered before realising something. Speaking of Teddy's mother... "Wait, was Tonks not your mate?" she asked, but jumped slightly at the growl that left the werewolf's chest.

_That female was not mate...the human insisted on a union, said she made him happy. But she did not make me happy. He did not know then, and does not know now that you are mate..._

"Why does he not know?" she asked, wondering whether Remus communicated with his wolf often but decided it probably wasn't the case. Remus had always tried to repress this side of himself as much as he could, so it would make sense he would not listen to Moony's warnings.

_The human thinks you too young to be ours...he can smell you, we both respond to you, but he thinks you are not ready. I can sense that you are..._

"And how do you know for certain that I am your mate?" Hermione asked. She had read up on werewolf mating rituals in third year when Snape had set them the assignment. Both the human and his wolf had to be in agreement on the person who was to be their mate, and both had to respond to her in mind, heart and body. Moony did say both Remus and him responded to her, but she had seen no proof of such so far. How could the wolf then be sure?

_You are mate...I can feel it in my blood, and smell it in yours...but you are not to be marked yet. If the human does not agree for you to be ours, I cannot mark your flesh as such..._

Hermione nodded. "Remus does not see me in that way, I'm a friend to him. I don't know if he will agree with you." she said carefully, but the wolf growled warningly even though her fingers continued to soothe his scalp.

_He will...or we will both begin to wither away...I was not powerful enough to stop his seed giving the other woman a child. Nor did I appear when luna was not calling to me, but she does not hold complete power over me. I can come out through the human's body anytime now..._

Hermione gasped. "Is such a thing possible?" she asked.

The wolf nuzzled her chin, his warm breath making her shudder but not with fear this time. _Yes...this is not the last time we speak together...I will escape the human's mind to speak with you in a some days' time..._

Hermione nodded. "What should I tell Remus?" she asked, not wanting to lie to the man. "Will he know when we speak together?"

_Tell the human only what he needs to know...his feelings are yet to grow and realise you as mate...if he knows too soon, he will take you from me to protect you from our bond, that is why he will not know I speak with you..._

Hermione was a little unsettled by that. "I don't want to lie to Remus. He is an academic, surely he will understand that this is beyond his decision and we can just talk about it?" she suggested.

Moony growled at her warningly, but the sound was gentle and when he smelled her fear, he licked her chin soothingly. _Do not fear me mate, but do not challenge me either. Only speak with him what you feel absolutely necessary..._

He suddenly stepped away and headed to curl up beneath a tree. _Will you join me in sleep now, mate?_

Hermione looked down at herself, still in her sleeping shorts and t-shirt. "I will be too cold." she tried to protest.

_I will keep you warm...let me feel your presence this night...I have not been so near you since you had called for me..._

Hermione was torn between self-preservation instinct, complete incredulity and acceptance of the situation. Moony was asking her to spend the night with him, and she would have to face Remus in the morning and explain why he was here and what happened last night. She did not want to lie to him, but she still had a few hours before sun rise to figure out how to approach all of this. Could she really deny Moony his wish for some companionship? He was obviously not going to hurt her, and he did appear lonely without the other Marauders to keep him company. Maybe she could do this just once, and Remus would understand in the morning...

She sighed and pulled out her wand to send a patronus to Harry, letting him know she would be safe with Moony and to look after Teddy for the night. Once the merry otter was out of sight, she summoned a blanket and cautiously stepped into the moon light, crossing the grassy garden to the tree. Moony curled up and Hermione at first sat by his side with the blanket around her, but a heavy paw pulled her down insistently to press into the warm fur of his chest and belly. Lulled by the strong and wild heartbeat, and the warmth of the wolf beside her, Hermione slept undisturbed by nightmares for the first time in a long while...


	7. Chapter 7 - The Morning After

**AN: My apologies for being so late with the chapter, dearest readers. But I've just worked for 47 hours out of 4 days and was ready to drop during the weekend. So here it is, if a little late, the morning after the full moon. Let me know what you think, as always your input is much appreciated. Many thanks for your support! **

**Always,**

**Raven**

* * *

"For the hundredth time, Potter. Stop rocking the child like it's a doll." Snape's voice snapped at his mind in irritation.

"And what would you rather have me do? Let him cry his lungs out?" Harry snapped back tiredly, rocking the crying babe in his arms.

"Open the window, you dolt."

Harry paused in his steps. "What?" he asked in puzzlement.

"Go stand by the window and open it. You said the child did not cry when it sensed his father's presence. Open the window and maybe he will stop."

Harry looked at the dour man in puzzlement but right now he was ready to try just about anything. He walked to the window and opened it, letting the moon light shine on the brightly and the scent of grass fill the air. And to his astonishment, Teddy hiccupped twice before there was complete silence. Harry checked if the little boy didn't just fall asleep out of exhaustion, but no. The babe was wide awake and looking at the moon with bright golden eyes, instantly soothed.

"Well I never.." Harry chuckled tiredly in relief, looking at the man on the bed. "Thanks, I thought he would never stop."

Snape only scowled at him. "If you had read anything about werewolves, you would have known how to silence the brat. Now, if your presence is absolutely necessary, at least let me get some sleep." the irritated voice snapped at his mind as the man turned away and covered his shoulders by the duvet.

Harry sighed and cast a warming charms on Teddy and himself to not catch a cold, and after a moment of consideration on the bed as well. Snape did not move again, apparently back in deep sleep, but Harry knew better. The vampire was probably just sulking. So he continued to stand by the window, still wondering about Hermione's patronus.

The otter had come in only moments ago, explaining there was no threat from Remus and that he was to remain with his patient. And that turned out so well... Snape first snapped at him for giving Remus the locket without thought, then for trying to protect him when clearly he could take care of himself, then for bringing a crying child into his rooms and last but not least, for breathing. That was fun...

He watched the stars and the bright moon slowly making its way over the horizon until it set fully and the skies turned pink. Teddy had finally fallen asleep and Harry was ready to drop with exhaustion but he knew Hermione would be healing Remus once the man shifted back to his human form, so the babe would have to be in his care. He padded softly over to the only chair in the room and sat down with the babe safely in the cradle of his arms. His eyes begun to droop but it would be too much effort to go downstairs and make some coffee, which could possibly wake Teddy up as well. He really had no other choice but to simply remain seated and wait it out.

The man in the bed shifted suddenly and once more Harry found himself at the receiving end of a dark gaze, scrutinising him irritatedly. "Are you a wizard or not, Potter?" the voice in his mind drawled.

Harry just blinked at him owlishly. "What have I done now?" he asked tiredly, not even having the energy to argue with the man.

Snape took his wand and suddenly the chair beneath him begun to shift, making Harry yelp in surprise. "Quiet you fool, or you will wake up the brat."

Harry realised the chair beneath him has shifted into a single bed and he looked at the man, not sure how to interpret the gesture. Snape was technically allowing him to remain in his bedroom and sleep in close vicinity of his own bed. Well that was a first. "Uhm..thanks..." he finally managed and lied down, covering himself and Teddy with the blankets before promptly falling asleep.

Severus remained lying on his side and watched the sleeping teen silently, observing his peaceful features. He could not remember ever seeing Potter this peaceful. The young man was usually smiling or frowning at him when he managed to hurt his Gryffindor sensibilities, but now he appeared more like a boy still. Young, with features a perfect blend of his parents. Or perhaps the bond was just messing with his perception of the brat, and the feeling in his gut was indigestion. Right.

HPSSHGRM

Hermione woke up warm and comfortable, the sun tickling her nose. It took her a moment to realise her position and the fact that the birds were a bit too loud, the grass a bit too fragrant and that the warmth was not her duvet but a pair of arms loosely draped around her. She blinked her eyes open and found that Remus had already shifted back into his human form, but appeared to be either in a deep slumber or passed out. Disregarding any personal feelings on seeing the man nude, she stood and covered him in the blanket before gently levitating his form inside. The house was quiet and she guessed that Harry and Teddy have both finally fallen asleep. As soon as she had Remus settled, she would check on the little babe and the two men.

It did not take her long to have Remus in a hot bath filled with healing potions that would repair any damage to the skin. The worst would be setting back what appeared to be a dislocated shoulder from Moony's attempts to get inside the house. For the moment however, she tended to all wounds and double-checked the scans to be sure there was no internal damage. It took her a while but Remus was finally clean and ready to be woken.

"Enervate." she swished her wand and held his shoulders steady.

Remus woke up with a gasp and tried to move but Hermione managed to hold him in place, leaning comfortably against the edge of the bathtub. "Remus, it's me. You are home and safe." she told him, her voice taking on an unconscious soothing quality.

The man looked around himself wildly before finally focusing on her, his eyes flashing golden for a moment before settling on their usual chocolate brown. "Hermione...how-"

"Shhh, the pendant we gave you transported you here. We were all safe, Harry was looking after Teddy and I managed to persuade Moony to stay calm. No one was harmed." she reassured him and released her hold on his shoulders for a moment when she noticed his embarrassed blush. She struggled slightly with her emotions but managed to push them aside. If she wanted to be a healer, she had to learn to do this. "I have manged to heal all your injuries apart from one. Your shoulder is dislocated and I will need you to remain awake for this one so you can help me." she explained, gently moving his arm.

Remus gritted his teeth in obvious pain but remained silent, nodding his consent. "What do you need me to do?" he gritted out past his teeth.

"Your accelerated healing abilities mean that the shoulder is already setting the wrong way and I might not be strong enough to pull it back. I need you to push away from me as I pull on your arm, create a counter force so we can set it right." she explained, rubbing a bit of numbing salve into the shoulder even thought it would not aid much. "Ready?" she asked, her petite hands firmly grasping his forearm and triceps.

Remus nodded. "Count of three?" he asked.

Hermione nodded. "One...two...three!" and she pulled with all her strength, the joint resetting and one of the bones near it rebreaking, making Remus howl softly in pain.

She quickly rubbed more healing and pain numbing salve into the skin, pressing a vial with muscle relaxant to his lips. "All is well now, just drink this for me." she encouraged and the man drank it down without a question. "Good. Are you well enough to get out of the bath alone?" she asked.

Remus nodded. "Of course. Uhm...thank you, Hermione." he said, a little embarrassed by his position, glad that at least the bubbles were mostly covering his modesty.

Hermione nodded and dried off her hands. "I'm going to check on Teddy and make some breakfast. You need some heavy carbs and a good sleep. I'll bring something into your quarters." she said before leaving the room.

Once the door closed, she leaned against it and took a deep breath, trying not to think of Remus in any other light than her mentor and friend but it was no use. Moony had opened her eyes to something she had no idea of before, and now she had to deal with it on top of everything else. So she would do as she did always. She would research.

HPSSHGRM

Harry stirred when he felt the babe in his arms moving and quickly opened his eyes, his brain trying to catch up. Hermione pressed a finger to her lips to indicate for him to stay quiet and pushed a stray dark lock out of his eyes. Harry shook his head and slowly sat up, motioning wordlessly that he would follow her out of the room. Hermione sighed and they made their way into the kitchen where she put in some coffee.

"You look exhausted, Harry. Get some more sleep." she said, holding the sleeping babe close to her chest and letting him soak up the warmth from her skin.

Harry just rubbed his eyes and gave her a tired smile. "A pepper-up will do for now. The elves are coming in a few hours to help clean up the top two floors so we can start renovating. By the time we are done there, Snape will be able to move safely, and Remus can get more spacious quarters for himself and Teddy while we clean up the downstairs and the two floors we currently take up." he explained as he didn't have time to do so yesterday after the magical clean up crew of house elves.

"What are we paying them?" she asked.

Harry tutted and accepted his green mug to take a sip from the coffee. "You are paying nothing. I am paying them a sickle per day each. They would accept no more." he said, raising a hand when he saw she would argue. "We have already discussed this. You decorate your own quarters to your own liking and I will pay for the rest of the house." he said firmly and Hermione just sighed and nodded, seeing he wouldn't accept more money from her than he absolutely had to.

It was then that an owl flew in through the window and Harry accepted the three envelopes. He handed Hermione two of them while he tore into his own. She looked over the names and noticed one was addressed to Remus, even baring the ministry seal so it must be something from Kingsley. She would deliver it with the breakfast. For the moment she handed Teddy over to Harry and opened her own letter, smiling as she read her list of NEWT subjects. "How many exam subjects do you have?" she asked.

Harry handed her his letter. "I finally decided on five. Transfiguration, Charms, DADA, Potions and Herbology. Potions will be a challenge but at least they give me plenty of opportunities..if I pass that is." he grinned cheekily.

Hermione chuckled and compared their exam dates. "25th of July, we need to start revising or we'll never pass. The next available date is at the end of November and that is way too late if we want to go to a university." she bit her lip, trying to quickly work out if they could do this.

Harry leaned back in his chair. "The question is, do we want to do this? Or are we taking a break for a year?" he asked softly, knowing they could both use the break. Barely two months for revision and learning the little left to learn at NEWT level was a rather short time and they were still recovering from the war.

Hermione nodded. "I want to. I have decided to go to university in fall." she said firmly, resolved she could do this.

"What are you thinking of studying?" Harry asked as they took their mugs and went to settle in the living room, putting their feet up while they leaned their shoulders together on the sofa.

"I want to be a healer." Hermione smiled, even thought sadness crept into her eyes. "Remember how you talked about going into the Auror training program with Ron? Well I guess since he is famous now as Harry Potter's friend, he will be going. But I never wanted to. We've seen too much blood and suffering. I want to heal people for a change." she said, turning to look at her best friend, her only family left really. "What do you think?"

Harry nodded. "I think you will be the best healer there ever was." he said, smiling proudly. "Really, I think it will suit you to be a healer. I always thought you would either end up cleaning up the ministry, healing, or improving wizard-muggle relations." he said honestly.

Hermione laughed softly. "You are incorrigible! As if I would want to step near that place again after the last three years.." she teased, wriggling her toes and stretching her shapely legs.

Harry tried to shrug without waking Teddy. "You always had the smarts for it, and I don't know any other person who is as organised as you are. I just think it would be fitting. What subjects do you need for your NEWT exams then?"

"Charms, Transfiguration, Herbology, Potions, Aritmancy and Ancient Runes. I think I will be just about able to pull it off in 2 months if I focus on one subject a week before a final revision." she revealed her plan. "What about you? Still thinking of being and Auror?" she asked, knowing that was most likely not the case.

And true to her thoughts, Harry shook his head. "I was thinking about it for a long time and I think I want to take a break for a little while. Maybe I'll go for the November exam date instead of July, and take my time preparing, finishing this place up...maybe even traveling." he said, hoping Hermione wouldn't think he was leaving everything up to her. "I mean just short trips, after Snape recovers a bit and doesn't need my blood so much. You know I haven't really been anywhere." he hastened to explain.

Hermione smiled and took Teddy from him, giving his arms a bit of a rest. "How about while things settle, you take trips around Britain? It's short enough distance to apparate and shouldn't you know your own country before exploring the world?" she suggested, showing her support of the idea.

Harry smiled. "I'd like that. Maybe you can join me if you have a half term or something like that at university."

Hermione chuckled. "I haven't even finished my NEWTs yet. Let's just focus on what we need to do now and how to figure out things between you and Snape. One step at a time." she suggested and they clanked their mugs together softly, finishing the rest of their coffee before heading to face the day.


	8. Chapter 8 - A matter of Strength

The two weeks that followed in their household were rather eventful, making Hermione's head almost spin just thinking about them. They had begun on the renovations immediately after the full moon and the house elves proved to be the best idea they have ever had. The top two floors were cleaned up, unhexed and completely stripped in just a week, leaving the space bare to the eye. Plenty of reconstruction was needed, from new floors and windows down to the furniture, and Harry had been most enthusiastic about more planning. He wanted the natural light to seep into the space and enlarged some rooms by breaking down the walls between them and making them into a large space. The whole top floor was dedicated to a new library with heavy oak bookcases lining around the walls. Hermione had picked comfortable yet elegant leather sofas and armchairs in front of the large fireplace, and solid large desks to spread any research over. And even though most of the book cases were yet to be filled, she already adored the space.

They have agreed that the Black family home naturally needed some guest rooms and that is how they decided to do the third floor. The four rooms were designed elegantly but comfortably to be worthy of any guests, and Hermione had yet to finish the last details on those before they would all move into them for the second and first floor to be renovated next. She saw little of her best friend as he usually managed the elves and helped them in the renovations during the day, and spent his evenings with their ex-professor. At least it seemed they were getting on better these days. Her only response to the fact that they no longer called each other by the surname was a smile, as she knew the day would have come sooner or later. It was difficult trying to combine her knowledge of traditional bonds with the vampire bond between a Sire and their Childe, but she finally presented her findings to them both and it seemed they reached some kind of an understanding between the two of them. It was certainly helped by the fact that the Potion Master was healing well and was able to escape his quarters for afternoon walks, which seemed to improve him mood just a little bit more.

Teddy seemed to be growing every day, getting more and more curious about the world, and his monthly check scan showed that the breast feeding was doing wonders for his development. His bones strengthened and immunity system improved rapidly, making Hermione only all the more glad that she had agreed to do this for the cub. She would look after him during the day, always talking to him or just walking around and reciting everything she had learnt that day for one NEWT subject or the other. Either way, he was excellent audience. The real studying happened over night however, after Remus returned from his new work at the ministry and took Teddy with him to spend time with his son. Hermione was in one whirlwind, studying long into the night and sometimes into the early morning, only to be on her feet for the rest of the day as well. And while she knew she could do this, it was proving a rather sizeable chunk to chew.

Due to such a busy schedule, her progress on the research into werewolf mating rituals was slow and she was no closer to figuring out her emotions regarding Remus and Moony. She was just pouring over more Arithmancy while Teddy napped when she heard the front door open and realised it was already nearing dinner time. She stood up to take a break and prepare something for them all to eat when her vision blurred and she swayed a bit on her feet. Her arms instinctively reached out to grasp onto the table but she missed and resolved herself to the pain of the landing when out of nowhere a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her up into a firm chest.

She blinked up, realising she must have forgotten to drink more water today if her body was protesting. "Remus?" she asked, finally focusing on the man holding her. But instead of the usual brown eyes, she was looking into two pools of gold.

"Mate..do you hurt?" Moony asked, his arms holding her close into his strong form.

Hermione gasped in shock. At the back of her mind she knew this was maybe somewhat possible as Remus was werewolf all the time, not just one night out of a month. But to feel Moony's strength in the body of her friend, and the usually kind voice filled with growled wildness was almost beyond comprehension. If she wasn't so tired, it would most likely be doing things to her body that would make her blush like never before. She realised her hands were instinctively gripping his shoulders as she tried to find her balance. "Moony? How is it that you're here?" she asked, trying to stay focused.

Moony shook his head. "Don't ask such things now. Answer me mate, are you hurting?" he asked, his nose lowering to take her scent in and see if she was hurt. But nothing appeared to be wrong with his mate. He could feel her pulse, usually so vibrant and healthy against her skin, and sensed how weakened it was. His mate was not looking after herself.

"I'm fine, don't worry. I just think I stood up too quickly." she tried to reassure him. "I need to make us dinner. Would you like to look after your cub while I do that?" she asked with a small tired smile, more comfortable in the man's arms than she wanted to admit to herself.

"No mate, you will rest...your body is tired...I can smell it in your blood." he said firmly, a great contrast to the gentle way he held her close.

"But we all need to eat and Teddy will need to be fed-" she tried to protest.

"No." he said simply yet firmly, nipping at her throat with his human teeth. It was a novelty to feel her through the human's body, to be able to hold her without fear of crushing her fragile human shell. To be affectionate without fear of drawing blood with his lips and teeth. "Come, you will rest." he said and picked her up effortlessly, carrying her up the stairs.

She squealed a little at the unexpected motion and hanged onto his neck tightly. "I can walk, really! My room isn't far." she tried protesting again.

This time Moony growled at her even though the sound was a little less menacing coming from a human throat. "Do not challenge me mate. We will look after you now, and always if you let us. You are mate, and you need to be strong." he said and instead of her rooms carried her straight into his quarters where Teddy was napping under protection and alarm charms.

He settled her down on the bed carefully, not knowing his own strength in the human body yet and crawled beside her to hold her close.

"Moony! I can't be here, or sleep here! What if someone finds us? What happens when Remus wakes up?" she tried to protest, but the pillow beneath her head was soft and the man was holding her into his warmth just right...

"The human will think you fell asleep after feeding our cub. Rest now, mate..." the wildness in his voice soothing to her tired mind.

It did not take long and she knew not of the world...

* * *

Harry watched the Potion Master sleep, his body so still in his rest when his lungs did not take in air out of habit when he was awake. It was a rather surreal experience to just sit there and observe the man he had grown to feel...what did he feel for the man anyway? It had all seemed rather scientific so far, all the talk about a bond that he did not really feel manifesting for him. Unless being capable of staying in the man's presence for more than 10 minutes counted. But that would be looking at the man as he did for the past seven years in Hogwarts, and Severus was not that man. It was almost surreal thinking of the man as two different personas, but was it really? They were at war, he himself was the poster boy for the light, the one they all praised and slandered at the same time. But a double-spy with a hideous tattoo on his arm was cruelly vilified for his choices and actions. It really was no wonder the man had lived up to the expectations placed on him.

But Severus was a different man completely, and Harry hoped he was the real man hiding in the eternal shell of a human-appearing body. When Hermione told them the usual progression of these bonds, he was absolutely scared out of his mind. Turns out Severus could very well turn him if they weren't careful, and he had yet to process everything that could lead up to that point. How far would he go to ensure the man's healing? Would he be able to this? How were they going to get along enough to survive this? All these questions and more were swirling in his mind at the time, when suddenly he felt completely calm and relaxed. Like flicking a switch, he leaned back in his seat and took a deep cleansing breath. The strange thing was he still wanted to panic but instead he was calmly listening to Hermione's suggestions. It was only when he looked at the vampire, he knew they were not his own feelings.

The amount of power Severus had over him was a little frightening perhaps, or should have been. But Harry knew there was a balance in all magic, and his balance was his blood. Severus could read his mind, feel his emotions and alter them slightly, and of course there was the natural allure of a predator Harry could hardly resist, especially since Severus was kind of his type – tall, dark and cultured. If the man didn't treat him so badly as a student at Hogwarts, perhaps he would have even had a crush then, after the realisation of why exactly his attempts at dating Cho and Ginny failed so spectacularly. He had to shake his head at himself. Once he was just a freak, doing things he shouldn't, looking at other boys when he shouldn't, and of course the whole Chosen One business. Was there ever something normal about him? There should have been, they were supposed to get a chance at a normal life after the war. But it seemed normal was not meant to be for him...

He yawned again tiredly after the long day and focused again, blinking a few times before looking at the Potion Master. Who was looking right back at him. Harry almost jumped a little but suppressed his natural reaction and just calmly looked at the silent man. Severus was helping him with his potions understanding, they read, they talked and they ate together. He should be used to the man's presence, even his close proximity as he fed him his blood. He no longer kept his shields up within the house to be able to speak with the man even while he cooked. And yet every time he called the vampire by his first name and looked into his eyes, he still wanted to be closer... It was a difficult feeling to describe, and even more so to comprehend fully.

So he stood and silently walked over to the man's bed, sitting on a small space on the side, just looking at him for a moment while Severus' sharp observant gaze studied his features. "Did you sleep well?" he finally asked softly.

Severus inclined his head in agreement and sat up, propped up by the pillows. "I did, thank you. I was woken by hunger." he admitted. It was becoming more natural for them to discuss their bond and the feelings that came along with it. Harry could often sense when the man was hungry or see it in his eyes but mostly Severus would be the one to remind him that his body needed yet more blood to heal properly and to strengthen their bond even further.

Harry nodded and reached down to pull his sleeve back but a gentle hand closed around his fingers to stop him. He looked up startled, wondering what the man was doing. "Do you trust me..Harry?" the words were whispered against his cheek and the young man instinctively closed his eyes, shuddering at the pleasurable sensation of feeling the man close.

He should probably pull away, call for Hermione, try to get away from the man's pull and the attraction building between them...but he didn't want to. Not really. The man was close, he held him just right, and all he wanted was feel good after the weeks of heavy decisions, fighting and mourning.

"Yess..." he whispered almost inaudibly and opened his eyes to look at the man, their gazes meeting almost intimately. He was drowning in the darkest pools of onyx when Severus suddenly lowered his head and bit into the large artery on his neck instead of his wrist.

Harry really could not help it and let the deep moan of pleasure slip from his lips. This was nothing like the little suction on his intricate wrist veins. The man was pulling on his blood so close to his heart, almost as if taking in his very essence, that his heartbeat fastened, skin became sensitive like never before and his loins stirred at the expectation of pleasure.

He did not know how but his lithe thighs were suddenly straddling the man, a hand was holding his head close and tugging on his hair lightly as more of his life source was being pulled from his body. Harry grasped the man's shoulders to hold on and pressed closer into the unyielding immortal body that held him. Merlin it felt good...and every time he thought about it, words failed him. The fangs however soon left his skin and a warm tongue licked the two puncture marks until fully healed, relishing each little drop of the wonderful blood.

Harry's hands held into the man's shirt tightly as he tried to calm his breathing and arousal, very much aware of how he was pressing into the man's belly. Strong arms were still wrapped around him, keeping him close intimately and that was when it downed on him. He let the man bite his neck, something most Childes did not do until sure of their belonging with their Sire. And here he was, almost begging for the attention of the man. Harry did the only thing he could. He fough the hold on his hips and fled.


	9. Chapter 9 - A matter of Trust

**AN: My dearest followers, I very much apologise again for the delay in posting. I hope it won't be happening again anytime soon! The last couple of weeks have been crazy but I am now better rested, and hope to get the next chapter to you earlier than you usual next week as a reward for your great patience and continuous support. I hope you'll enjoy the new update as much as I enjoyed writing it! Much love as always.**

**Always,**

**Raven**

* * *

Hermione woke up slowly, blinking her eyes open and in a moment of disorientation wondered what actually woke her up. She sat up in panic when he realised it was Teddy's crying. And he sounded hungry. She remembered it had been a few hours already since she fed him and got up quickly to soothe him. The crying however stopped before she could even enter the living room of Remus' quarters, making her even more worried if something happened to him. She rushed to the door but once she stepped into the living room, a rather curious sight made her pause. Remus was holding the babe safely beneath his arms and looking him straight in the eyes while Teddy squealed contently. That was when Hermione realised that it was not Remus who was holding the babe.

"We finally meet, cub." Moony's growling voice left Remus' lips, as his glowing golden eyes observed every little move while Teddy squirmed. "You are awake, mate." he said a moment later to acknowledge her presence without having to look away from his cub.

Hermione smiled, the tension leaving her when she saw all was well with them both. "He loves you...I remember how he wanted to join you outside during the full moon." she said softly and walked closer, gently brushing a few strands of unruly locks from Teddy's forehead. This night, the light curls were a grey, almost silver like the moon. As if the cub was letting them know that he knew the difference between his daddy and the wolf within him.

"He is small, but strong. I can smell my blood in his little veins...yet he is not like me." Moony observed and let his cub reach a tiny hand towards his stubbly cheek to feel him as all cubs did.

"Is he well? He sounded hungry a moment ago." Hermione asked, concerned for the cub's well being. He might be calm with the natural authority of the wolf around but that did not mean he was still not hungry.

Moony nodded and passed him over. "He needs a breast, to stay strong." the wolf said, not realising how his phrasing would sound to Hermione. The brunette blushed a little and turned to head into the bedroom to feed the babe but a gentle yet firm hand made her pause in step. "Stay..." Mony said softly, coaxing with his words and the enticing heat of his body so close to her.

She turned around and still blushing looked into those pools of liquid gold. "You...want to watch me while I feed him?" she asked uncertainly.

"Does the human not?" he asked in surprise. "To watch a mate take care of our cub is a gift that should not be missed." he caressed her warm cheek, enjoying actually being able to touch his mate and feel her skin through the human's body. She was so warm and soft, but strong and full of life at the same time.

Hermione hesitated a moment longer before giving into the wolf's coaxing. "Alright...if that is your wish.." she agreed and sat down, trying to open her blouse calmly to not let her nervousness affect Teddy. She slowly opened the small buttons and watched as Teddy's little hands immediately took a hold of her shirt and her chest to pull himself closer. With a smile that appeared only around the cub, she let those little lips attach themselves to her nipple and watched as he begun eating hungrily.

The only one oblivious to the adoring, almost heated look the wolf sent Hermione's way was little Teddy who drank happily. Hermione was however blushing and had to lower her gaze to watch Teddy feed before she would become red a a tomato.

Moony sighed. "I have to go now mate, the human has rested at the back of mind and has now the strength to let himself out any moment." he said and leaned in to nuzzled her cheek and breathe in her heavenly scent before getting up and sitting across from her instead. It took only a moment, as Moony closed his eyes and when he opened them, it was no longer Moony looking back at Hermione.

"Remus?" she asked gently, holding Teddy closer to her chest.

The man shook his head slightly and focused his gaze on her, blushing a little when he saw her openly feeding before him. "Hermione! I..." he stuttered, a little lost for words.

"Are you alright Remus? You must have had a really tiring day." Hermione said, detesting having to lie but drew her strength from her meeting with Moony.

"I'm fine, I just...don't seem to remember what we were talking about." he admitted.

Hermione chuckled. "We weren't. You were so tired when you got home I didn't even have a chance to cook us dinner, you went straight to bed. Or so I thought. I went to check on Teddy and here you were, sleeping as you are sat on the sofa." she smiled teasingly, lying seemingly unflinchingly, but she did feel a little remorse. She was mate to both Remus and Moony, and perhaps it was time she began establishing a closer relationship with the man as well.

"Oh, I...I'm sorry Hermione. I haven't been good company lately with this bill we are trying to pass." he sighed and ran a hand through his sandy locks.

Hermione just shook her head. "I know what you mean. I've been studying like mad and almost- well, I guess I will have to rethink if I can really do this." she said softly, hating to admit failure.

Remus looked at her in surprise. "You...thinking of postponing your exams and taking a year off before university?"

Hermione nibbled her lip but nodded. "I need to get good sleep and more time to myself or I could lose milk from the stress. And I can't do that now, Teddy needs at least another month."

Remus looked at her, his gaze suddenly intense as if he had realised something. "You would postpone your studies...for the needs of my son?" he asked softly.

Hermione sighed. "You sound so surprised. We are family Remus, and unless you forbid me to see your son, I will be there for him every day when he needs a woman's touch and care as well. And he is certainly one of the factors that affect my decision, yes."

Remus observed her a moment longer but his gaze seemed to have gained a new warmth, one that wasn't there before. And Hermione rejoiced internally, because that was one more wall down. One more out of the fortress built within the man across from her as a defense. If he was letting her in, it meant this could work. And they could be mates in everyday life as well.

HPSSHGRL

Harry stood in the garden, the large practice target before him. Three arrows were already protruding from the large red middle eye, another in his hand as drew the bow and after a deep breath released, watching the slim piece of wood swish through the air and form a square of the four arrows. It was a skill he had learnt only a short time ago, a part of the little training he had and mastered. There was something simple about a bow and arrows, much more refined than blasting a bloody rock with a spell. It was almost like comparing art and the mess left behind by a toddle after lunch. And it was in moments such as these that he particularly enjoyed the sport.

Severus just had to fucking push him. Not only did he let the man drink from his neck, which was itself beyond his comfort zone still, he ended up rubbing against the man. Rubbing..against Severus...and loving it. Pink blush rose on his cheek as he admitted to himself just how enjoyable it had been to be so close to the man and have him suck on his precious flesh and life force. It had been divine to feel the man's arms around him, holding him so securely and letting him lean into his touch. But was it really so? Was it not merely the bond that produced the compulsive need for closeness?

Yes, it was... Harry took a deep breath and reached for another arrow. Breathe in, tense, breathe out, release, hit target. Did it really matter that it was the bond makin g him react to Severus in such a way? Could he forever be in the man's presence, allow him touch and justify both their actions to himself and the world by simply blaming the bond of a Sire? The question remained, did he like Severus enough to let him do this?

The man remained an enigma, his moods and behaviour changing like a flick of the light switch. But he trusted him, respected him and even admired him for managing to survived those long years kissing the hem of Voldemort's rags while knowing he would most likely die if the man ever got into his head. It was madness. It was brilliant. It was Severus. And those were the feelings Harry recognised from times before the bond. Just as he did not wish for the man as his constant to be delivered from this world, he respected him. And now, he was left wondering just how much amplified those feelings were due to the bond. Again, did it really matter?

Rotate shoulders, inhale, pick up another arrow, tension, exhale-

"Harry?"

He jumped and released the bow prematurely, almost taking out the magpie on one of the tree branches.

"Remus, you startled me!" he said but smiled at the man who looked somewhat more at peace than he had before. "I haven't seen you in days."

Remus chuckled. "Yes, you have been busy renovating. I have to say you have done a wonderful job. Sirius would have been proud.." he said gently.

Harry nodded sadly. "I wish he was here to see it sometimes..but then I hope he is at peace. The years in Azkaban have taken their toll."

"They have indeed.." Remus said contemplatively.

They just stood in silence for a moment before Harry put away his bow. "Cup of tea?" he suggested.

"Sure. I should start on dinner anyway. Hermione has been doing way too much around the household." Remus led the way and begun making tea while scouting for something edible in the fridge.

"She was going to make steaks tonight. Something about two blood lovers in the house and iron for milk.." Harry mused as he sat down and stretched his slim build tiredly.

Remus chuckled. "Found them. I take it you like yours rare as well?" he asked as he looked around for potatoes.

"In the cupboard next to the fridge." Harry guessed his intent. "And yes. Blue for you and Severus, rare for Hermione and I." he smiled.

Remus nodded and made their tea before beginning on the potatoes. "How is Severus?" he asked nonchalantly.

"He is...healing." Harry answered evasively and avoided the gaze of the man he considered his second god-father.

"And are you still...taking care of his needs?" Remus asked, trying to keep his tone neutral. He was not happy about the bond situation but this was Harry's life and his choice. If he wanted to be with the man, Remus would support it even if it went against every of his instinct.

"Yes." Harry answered softly. He hesitated a moment, not sure he should talk about this with Remus, both as a werewolf with natural dislike for Severus' species, and as his god-father figure. But he wanted to hear an opinion other than Hermione's, who was always supporting of him. "Do you think Severus is a good man?" he finally asked.

Remus paused, the half-peeled potato in one hand as he contemplated his question. "I think he is a man of...certain values. Call me old-fashioned but I believe he has his own values and morals, perhaps somewhat distorted by his years as a spy...and that moral side of his is waging a battle with his impulses as a vampire." he answered honestly.

Harry sat up straighter and thought about Remus' words. The Severus he had known before could not compare to the man he knew now. He was still moody, and unkind sometimes. But he was a man of manners, always asked permission first and tried to prevent Harry from seeing his weakness, wishing to deal with his own problems. On the other hand, there was Severus the predator, the very man whoo had made him sit in his lap and offer his throat while he felt pleasure unlike any other. "You make him sound like a Stevenson character." he mused.

Remus turned to look at him and his smile had a few too many sharp canines on display than was comforting. "I would know all about Jekyll and Hyde. And I understand Severus well in this aspect. He is a man torn between nature and nurture, just as I am." he remarked simply, but Harry could see it was not a comfortable topic for him.

"And would approve if I..decided to explore this bond I have with him?" he asked softly.

Remus wiped his hands on the tea towel and turned to the young man. "Does it really matter if I approve or not? I cannot change your decision, nor do I want to, Harry. You are your own man, and you have a long life ahead of you. How you decide to live it is none of my business. I would only say that whatever decision you make I will support. But if you ever have any doubts, I would hear them and give you my most honest opinion." he said honestly and watched the smile blossom on his godson's face.

"Thank you..." Harry said softly. "For listening, and for your support. I have always valued your opinion." he smiled warmly.

Remus nodded. "You are most welcome, Harry."

The young man finished his cup of tea and turned to leave in search of his wayward best friend. He paused however at the door and turned to look at Remus once more. "Oh and Remus?" he asked. The man turned to look at him and was slightly taken aback by his serious expression. "You may not realise it but I see how you look at Hermione. Don't hurt her." was all he said before leaving a very confused Remus in the kitchen all by himself.


	10. Chapter 10 - Conversations and surprises

**AN: Dissertation done and bound, HALLELUJAH!...Sorry about that, I really would have rather been writing this story for you, my dearest followers. I had so much fun with this chapter, especially the second part, which is to be continued in the next chapter, I promise ;) So put on your seat belts and off we go to the lands of angsty Harry and cute Remus! Much love,**

**Raven **

* * *

Harry took his time walking up the stairs, mentally preparing himself for the much needed talk with Severus. If they were to go on like this it would lead them nowhere. The man had to realise there were boundaries, and that Harry was not merely his prey to feed on as he pleased. Perhaps it was time to do a bit of research on his own , into how a Childe might resist to call of its Sire. He may not be a vampire himself but if he allowed Severus to turn him in a weak moment, it would change his life completely and he was nowhere near ready for such a thing.

He knocked softly and walked inside, not looking at the man yet as he shut the door slowly. He turned around and was met with an intense dark gaze, calling to his very being to join the man's side once more. He shuddered, not completely in displeasure, and forced himself to stay his ground, instead summoning a chair over to the door and sitting down as far away from the man as possible.

"You return...Harry. So close yet so far..." the voice in Harry's mind positively purred.

Harry crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back in his chair. "Stop it, Severus. This won't work. I'm not a mindless blood source and I deserve to be treated better than that." he said firmly.

Severus snorted at his words, his mood shifting a 180 degrees in under a second. "Respect has to be earned, Potter. It is not my fault we find ourselves in this position. You have agreed to this and now you will put us both into a difficult position because you cannot handle it. Saint Potter not being able to handle himself yet again."

Harry flinched at the sharp words that brought him back to the days of hatred at Hogwarts, but gathered himself and looked at the man before him coldly. "Back to last names are we, Snape?" he said dispassionately, and this time it was Severus who almost flinched, realising his misstep immediately. Harry did not pay mind however and continued. "This is exactly what I was talking about. We are bonded for all intents and purposes, at least for a few months before the bond loosens and we can get about our lives more or less normal if we meet occasionally. But in the mean time, you will treat me with the same respect I show you every day. I don't insult you, I don't get defensive when you hit a sour topic. If I can get over myself, saint Potter as you so kindly dubbed me, so can you." he said almost dispassionately, sitting very still and just observing Severus as he appeared to contemplate his words.

Severus looked at the boy, no, the young man before him and had to admit to himself that while he had thought he was could get over the old prejudices he no longer held, old habits died hard. But Potter- no, Harry- Harry was right. If they were to make this work to their advantage, they had to do better. They had been off to such a good start a week ago, but it seemed they still had a long way to go.

"What do you propose, Harry?" he asked, this time calmly and more collected, the allure gone from his voice as he controlled his vampire instincts tightly.

Harry's posture relaxed an inch and he stood up, picking up his chair and moving to sit by the man's bedside. "How difficult is it for you to...stop your natural allure?" he asked, knowing it was a part of vampire nature and while he did not wish to suppress the man's needs, there was a line that has been crossed earlier and it needed to be addressed.

"It is...difficult but not impossible." Severus answered honestly after a moment of struggle for the right way of explaining.

Harry nodded. "And will I be able to say no to you at some point or is the bond too strong for that right now?" he asked, wanting to know what their options were if such an accident was to reoccur.

Severus inclined his head slightly in thought. "I believe that depends on whether you trully wish to say no, Harry..." the voice in his mind was soft but the words spoke the loud truth Harry had feared.

He averted his gaze and thought about Severus' words. "I don't think I can-"

"Relax Harry, I will not force myself on you again. That I have promised you and that promise I shall keep." Severus replied evenly. "The bond is however inevitable and how we respond to the connection is an individual matter."

Harry nodded and took a deep breath, readying himself to open up to the most unlikely person (most unlikely after Voldemort, if the monster was still alive...). "It took me a long time to be comfortable with a touch from a friend. You have seen memories of my childhood, you know why and I will not bring it up again. But to have you lure me into a...well into what has happened, I don't think I can do that again...at least not for a while. If the bond requires it, I will sit close to you, and give you more of my blood. But more than respect, trust has to be earned." he said evenly, swallowing back the magnitude of his admission. He was no blushing virgin, but one had little time to date while trying not to die. Straddling your vampire ex-potions professor while he drinks your blood was way out of his comfort zone...

Severus seemed to realise what the problem was and nodded. "I will attempt to...curb in my more basic nature." he promised evenly.

Harry nodded. "I trust you...I trust and have trusted you at least somewhat, even when I hated you. But I have always respected you. And even though you say that respect has to be earned, I don't see why you would not show me the courtesy of considering me your equal at least in this matter. We both fought in a war and finally have the time to...just be and get to know each other. If I am to really be comfortable with your closeness, I think it only natural you show me the same decency and respect that I show you."

Severus considered him for a moment before nodding. "I consider those to be acceptable terms."

Harry nodded and stood, picking up the knife to slice into his wrist and offered it to the man. "I have plenty to do in the evening and will only come back tomorrow morning so you better get your fix now." he said with a hint of a smile, letting the man's fangs pierce his tender flesh.

Severus did not much, the wonderful life source he had taken earlier from Harry's main aorta still pulsing in his veins. "Thank you."

Harry nodded and healed his wrist. "You are welcome. Good night, Severus."

"Good night, Harry." he replied and watched the young man disappear behind the door. When did he grow up? He wondered...

* * *

Remus was confused. It was an emotion he was used to, from the days of his youth, from trying to understand the monster inside him...but right now, he was very confused. What Harry had insinuated was that he looked at Hermione like..what exactly? How was he looking at her?

He knew she had blossomed into a beautiful young woman, with inner strength, seemingly never-ending kindness and perhaps a bit of a temper, but her fire was what made her so unique when combined with her patience and love for those she considered her own. She was a true Gryffindor princess, a true lioness in every sense. And for that, Remus admired her. But did that make him look at her differently than he should? Was he perhaps seeing her in a way he should not?

It had been a whole week since Harry bestowed that small warning when he was leaving the kitchen and much had changed in their household. The repair works have slowed down as Harry took more time to spend with Severus and get to know the man while pleasing the bond that had a strong hold over them both and required the closeness. It was not an easy task and sometimes Remus could hear Harry's raised voice, presuming there was an argument, but it seemed to be working well for them.

Hermione on the other hand was not faring too well. Her body finally gave up on her after the difficult regime she had imposed on herself and a fever broke out. She spent the first three days mostly sleeping, waking only to feel Teddy and have something small to eat. But her body demanded rest and she was finally giving it what it wanted. Remus made her a cup of tea just as she liked it and headed up the stairs into her room. He knocked gently and waited for an answer. If she was asleep, he would check on her later.

He could hear a small shuffle however and a soft "Come in." could be heard through the door. He entered and noticed the curtains were open and the window was letting in some fresh air. Hermione was curled up on her side, reading one of the heavy tomes on her bedside and smiled at him welcomingly when he entered.

"Good morning." he said kindly and closed the door before perching himself at the edge of her bed.

"Good morning, and thank you. You have been taking such good care of me, Remus." she sat up, the duvet slipping slightly and revealing the top of her pyjamas, a simple cotton t-shirt that did not hide the swell of her breasts of the perky nipples that seemed to press into the fabric insistently.

Remus turned his gaze away and rather looked into her eyes. "You have been taking care of myself and my son. I am happy to repay the kindness." he said with a smile when he heard her content sigh after taking her first sip of the liquid life saver.

Hermione leaned back into the stack of pillows and closed her book as she held the warm cup in her hands. "Are you taking Teddy to the zoo today?" she asked.

Remus shook his head. "Tomorrow. The clouds look heavy today, it may yet rain. But I am heading out for a few groceries. I know you usually do the shopping during the week when it's not so busy but work has been demanding this week and I did not have the time." Remus admitted. Saturdays were usually the times he would spend with Teddy or take him out to the park, but as Hermione needed her rest, he was prepared to do his utmost to let her rest and help her with the household.

"Is there anything I can bring you?" he asked.

Hermione looked into her cup thoughtfully for a moment before getting an idea. "Why don't I come with you? I need to get out of the house and walk, I am not used to so much rest. Maybe we could take Teddy with us for the shopping and if the weather clears up head for a walk to the park for a little while?" she suggested.

Remus looked surprised, but it did sound like a good idea. "Where will we put out groceries though?" he asked, unclear only on that part of the plan.

Hermione chuckled. "We will take my car of course."

"You use it regularly? I thought you only bought as much as you can but in the buggie." he said, recalling seeing her with a few bags in the bottom space of his son's buggie after a walk.

"Sometimes, if I have too many places to go. But I like to use my car for a larger shopping, as I've put enlargement charms on the boot. I can put the stroller in there easily as well. What we can do however is use the sling while shopping, he loves the human warmth that way, and then take out the buggie after we have visited all the necessary places, and take him for a walk. He falls asleep so easily, trust me." she explained, finishing the last of her cup.

"A sling?" Remus wondered in confusion.

Hermione chuckled. "It's a muggle invention, and a rather brilliant one. I will show you a bit later." she said. "That is if you want me to come with you?" she asked.

"Of course, I haven't been in a car in a long time." Remus chuckled and took the empty cup from her. "Shall I make a list of what we need?" he asked.

Hermione nodded. "Just a quick one. I'll have another look through the kitchen when I come downstairs and organise it." she smiled.

Remus nodded and left her to do her morning absolutions while he prepared the list in the morning. He could not believe his eyes when the few items he had written grew into a whole A4 page filled with grocery items and other little bits, once Hermione took over 20 minutes later.

"And how long will this take us?" he asked.

Hermione chuckled as she strapped the sleeping Teddy into the car seat. "About four hours." she calculated while putting on her long thick knit sweater that covered her chest if she breastfed on the go. The weather was not quite warm that morning so she would not be too warm.

"Four hours? To do the shopping?" Remus looked ready to say he was staying at home.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Yes, four hours. Since I did no shopping in the week, we need to do it all now. If you don't want to go, I can do it myself." she challenged with a smile.

Remus knew a man should admit when he was bested and shook his head. "No, of course I will go and help. Will you show me this sling thing now?" he asked, still not sure what it was supposed to be.

Hermione chuckled. "When we get to the market. Teddy won't need feeding until a little later so you can have him until then." she said and took the list and her car key, leading the way out with Remus following after her with the car seat and his peacefully sleeping son.

The silver Mazda 3 was something Hermione invested into after the war with a bit of money from her family inheritance. It was a used car, but in a great shape and she got it for a good price. But what was most important to her was that it was reliable, easy to park with its size, and she knew Teddy was safe when he was with her. They loaded up the buggie and settled Teddy's car seat in the back before Hermione got behind the wheel, with an uncertain-looking Remus next to her.

"Seat belt, Remus." she reminded as she started the car and chuckled when Remus yelped slightly in surprise. Oh this would be fun...


End file.
